To Remove a Moon Princess
by The Great Karasu
Summary: Here it is. The fic that started me out, is being re-released...Kinda like E.T. was, but I won't replace shotguns with walkie-talkies! Usagi has been kidnapped and taken to an alternate universe. It's up to Mamoru to get her and her memories back!
1. Chapter 1

The full moon cast a beautiful silver light on the balcony where Usagi and Mamoru were having one of their tender moments. She searched his face as he held her close. "Mamo-chan?"

"What is it, Usako?" He could sense something was bothering her. "Is something wrong?"

"No, of course not!" She laughed nervously as she lowered her eyes and rested her head on his chest. She was at war with herself on the inside. Her question had been festering in the back of her mind ever since he had reappeared after Sailor Galaxia had been healed. "I was just wondering about something."

"Anything in particular?" he asked, growing more curious as to what could possibly be bothering his odango atama. "Anything that I could help with?"

She lifted her head and looked him in the eye again, surprised to feel tears trickle down her cheek. "This may sound ridiculous, and childish, and maybe even a little bit selfish. In fact, I hate to even think this way."

"Usako." He wiped her tears away gently. "If this is about us, and it's bothering you this much, I want to know about it. I can see it's hurting you, and that hurts me. I don't care how arbitrary it may sound to you."

"All right," she said with a sigh as she lowered her eyes. She tried to bring her tears under control. "I've been thinking this ever since your Star Seed was returned to you. I must know, Mamo-chan." She looked him in the eye with an intensity that surprised the both of them. "Are you here to stay? Are you going to leave again?"

Mamoru was taken aback. The decision to go to America to study abroad was a long and difficult one. He knew that it was an opportunity that only came to a few students, and he had been very lucky. He also knew that he'd be without Usagi for a year or more. He couldn't be selfish and stay just to be with her. That would've been like a slap to the face for all the teachers who offered their glowing recommendations as well as to the administrators who pulled several strings to get him in the program in the first place. Before he left, he was plagued by the horrifying thought of leaving Usagi to fend for herself with no one to protect her. He tried covering his pain by making the excitement he also felt stand out more when he finally built up the nerve to tell Usagi.

He was in a very similar situation now with Usagi trying to be as brave and supportive as she could, while her tears betrayed her real feelings. So, he decided to answer her question the same way he did when she had asked him how long he would be gone…truthfully. "I haven't been offered another grant to go to America, if that's what you're asking, Usako."

Her will gave way and she started to cry again, but the tears she cried were happy tears. "Thank God," she replied between sobs as she flung her arms around his neck. "Oh, but Mamo-chan, what about your dream? Has something wonderful passed you by? I won't stand in your way if that's what you really want."

"Something even more wonderful almost did," he replied as he kissed her forehead. "Don't worry about me." He kissed her right cheek. "I can finish my schooling here at home." He kissed her left cheek. "I've already been gone long enough." He kissed her nose. By this time, she was giggling uncontrollably, and that only encouraged him to continue. "And you'll never be in the way of my dreams, because all of them include you. Everything I'm doing now is to improve my future, so that I'll be able keep you happy clear through the Crystal Millennium." Their lips met and he kissed her so passionately, that the rest of the world seemed to fade away.

It was only until her communicator went of in her pocket several minutes later that they were brought back to reality. They stared at one another for a few minutes locked in a reverie. "I guess I'd better get that, huh?" She pulled out the obnoxiously ringing communicator and flipped it open.

"I guess so," Mamoru replied as he let his grip on her loosen.

"What is it?" Usagi asked into the communicator with an air of irritation.

"We've got trouble here," Sailor Venus' voice came from the other end.

"What? There aren't any more Phages are there?"

"It's not like that at all, Usagi-chan," Venus replied. "Just get here quickly. We're at the park in the Tenth district."

"We'll be right there," Usagi grumbled. She looked skyward and spoke to no one in particular. "Why can't we have one romantic evening together? Why?!"

"Relax, Usako." Mamoru had just finished transforming into Tuxedo Mask, and he went back over to her. "We're needed. Besides, we have the rest of our lives for romantic evenings."

She blushed as she smiled at him. "You're right, Mamo-chan." She held her eternal brooch high above her head. "Moon Eternal…MAKE-UP!"

As her transformation ended, Tuxedo Mask took her in his arms and leaped off of the balcony onto the street below. "The park isn't far from here, let's hurry over there."

She gave a sigh before she took off running. "I hate this. I hate fighting!"

Tuxedo Mask wasn't far behind and heard every word she said. "None of us like it, Sailor Moon."

She stopped at the gate to the park and looked at him. "You heard me?"

"The only reason any of us put up with this everyday is to ensure a peaceful future," he continued as he peered into the gate to see the fight. Several huge monsters were swatting at the Senshi as if they were flies. He looked back at her. "Neptune and Uranus are here. That's not a good sign."

She gripped her Moon Tier tightly as she prepared for battle. "Then let's even the odds."

The fight wasn't going well for the other senshi. "Damn nasty things!" croaked Sailor Jupiter as her Oak Evolution attack was deflected by a monstrosity clad in black leather.

"Ignore these insects!" Cried the apparent leader of the attackers. "We've just gotta find one stupid girl!"

"Insects?" cried an insulted Sailor Venus. "I'll give you an insect! Mars, Mercury, Jupiter! Let's all show them what kind of insects we are! Venus…Love and Beauty Shock!" At the same time, the other Inner Senshi unleashed their powers.

"Mars…Flame Sniper!"

"Mercury…Aqua Rhapsody!"

"Jupiter…Oak Evolution!"

All of the attacks were either deflected or absorbed, making the monsters that much more powerful. Every Senshi wondered where their leader was.

"This is no good at all!" Cried Sailor Uranus as her Space Sword clashed with a chain whose user intended to skull her with. "We aren't even weakening them, just ourselves!" Her opponent proceeded to yank the chain, and the sword flew out of her grip.

"Deep…Submerge!" came Sailor Neptune's voice, followed by her massive attack. Uranus' assailant was immediately surrounded in the devastating energy.

Uranus took advantage of the diversion and prepared her own attack. "World…Shaking!" The sword and chain fell to the ground as the monster dissolved into ash.

"See?" quipped Neptune as she put on a sarcastic smile. "That didn't take much."

Uranus chuckled as she retrieved her talisman weapon. "Nothing at all." Suddenly, Neptune was seized form behind, her screams muffled by strong, misshapen hands crushing her throat. "Neptune! NO!"

A red streak flashed past Neptune and came to rest directly in one of her attacker's eyes. The female monster immediately crumbled to the ground screaming in pain.

All fighting ceased as every eye went up to the tree where Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Mask stood; each with an outstretched hand and horrified expression. "Oh my God," gasped Sailor Moon. "What did I do?"

Neptune shook free of the monster's limp grip and saw firsthand what had prevented the robbing her of her life precious. A red rose's stem had lodged itself deep into her left eye, and equally red blood dripped from the wound. She also noticed that she had that blood on her, but still she gave an appreciative look to Sailor Moon. "Nice shot!"

The other Senshi gathered around Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Mask as they both jumped from the tree. Tuxedo Mask traced the path of the rose he had thrown into the arm of another monster who had tried attacking Sailor Venus. He too, was on the ground nursing the wound.

"Yeah," echoed Sailor Venus with a smile. "Nice one, 'Dead-Eye'!"

"That's not funny, Venus!" Sailor Moon spat. "I didn't mean to do that!"

"Not generally the type of entrances I like to make, but hey…" Tuxedo Mask managed to croak as he recovered from his initial shock.

"At least you guys are here," Sailor Jupiter said. "We've been getting our butts kicked!"

"What ever possessed you to throw that rose, Sailor Moon?" Sailor Mercury's eyes were practically bugging out of their sockets. She still couldn't believe what she saw.

"I…I thought it looked so cool when HE did it," she replied pointing back at Tuxedo Mask. Her shock had not entirely worn off yet. Strong hands gripped her shoulders reassuringly. She looked up into her prince's deep sapphire gaze as he gave her a warm smile.

"Don't worry about it too much, my pretty soldier," he whispered. She smiled back.

"What say we leave the rose attacks as well as the poetry to the professionals from now on?" suggested Sailor Mars sarcastically. "How about this little ditty?" She cleared her throat. "Roses are red, That thing's eye is too. The monsters are STILL HERE, So, now what do we do?"

"Nice poem, Mars," Jupiter said with a rough nudge to the ribs. "I especially liked how it rhymed."

"Joke all you want." The monster whose eye had been impaled shakily stood as she pointed and glared with her good eye over to Sailor Moon. Hatred practically dripped from her voice. "You. You won't get away with that. The Bad Ass Brutes will not forgive you!"

"Get over it, 'Rosie'," said the leader of the group as he crossed his arms and leaned on a tree. "And get her. She's the one we want."

"Why does this not seem to surprise me?" Sailor Moon asked to the sky.

The wounded monster roared as a new adrenaline-inspired energy filled her, and charged the Senshi. She started hurling energy attacks to disperse them. Surprisingly, the nine warriors were able to withstand the attacks and protect their princess. They weren't able to hold out, however, when she started tearing them away from Sailor Moon.

One by one, Senshi after Senshi were tossed like rag dolls around the battlefield, until finally all that remained between the monster and Sailor Moon was Tuxedo Mask. She slashed at him over and over, but he refused to fall. Sailor Moon watched in horror as her true love lurched in pain protecting her. Finally, he gathered enough strength to grab her and roll away from the attack. He faced the monster with cane in hand. He lasted a few more minutes before the cane was slashed from his hand, and he was tossed over to the pile of battered Senshi.

"Mamo-chan! NO!" Sailor Moon screamed as the golden crescent moon on her forehead glowed brightly. "Oh, you are gonna pay for that!" She powered up her attack, but before she could do anything, the monster grabbed her from behind. She was writhing and squirming to no avail to free herself from the vice-like grip.

"Oh, shut up!" the monster cried. "And stop squirming. You are not gonna escape me." With that, the monsters all began to float to a portal that had been opened only seconds before.

Tuxedo Mask and the Senshi watched helplessly as Sailor Moon began to disappear through the hole in space-time. "USAKO!"

Though her only thought was of her situation, Tuxedo Mask's cry reminded her of something else. She knew this was the only way to keep everyone safe. She wriggled enough to grasp the eternal brooch on her chest. She pulled it from her fuku and threw it down to the Earth below. As Eternal Sailor Moon metamorphosed back into Tsukino Usagi, she shouted at the top of her lungs. "Mamo-chan! Keep this safe! I love you!" Then she was gone.

Tuxedo mask managed to pull himself to a standing position as he caught the delicate golden brooch. "She's gone," he gasped quietly as he stared at the brooch. Others were not quite so quiet with their reactions.

"Damn them!" Screamed Sailor Uranus. "Damn them all!"

"Haruka," Sailor Neptune said gently as she put her hands on Uranus' heaving shoulders.

"Where did they take her?" Asked a half-crazed Sailor Jupiter. "Where the hell did they take her? And why the hell did they do it?"

Sailor Mercury was feverishly typing on her computer, but her tears blinded her enough so that the calculations were not accurate. "I…I don't know! Usagi-chan!"

Sailor Mars took the computer away from Mercury gently and allowed the blue-haired senshi to fall into her arms, sobbing. "It's okay, Ami-chan. Your computer can only tell us so much."

Sailor Venus stood silently, looking at the slumped form of Tuxedo Mask. "Mamoru-san!" Her shrill voice cut through the other commotion. "Aren't you going to do anything? They took her away from us! Don't you care?" She fell to her knees muttering something about him being an idiot between sobs.

He clenched his teeth and fist. "Of course I care!" This wasn't his fault! Suddenly, something in him snapped, and the divine royal right he held kicked in: the right that said he couldn't be put down like this. His back straightened and he spun around. "That's enough! I have had it!" Everything else stopped. Even the crickets stopped chirping at the loud, authoritative boom that had emanated from the quietest one there. "We can't just sit here and mope about this! And we can't go around accusing people! That isn't going to bring her back! Unless anyone has a sound, calm solution to this, I COMMAND you all to shut up!"

As if on cue, Sailor Pluto emerged from a portal right beside him. He almost lost any composure that he had left, but he controlled himself. "The new crisis is at hand," she said simply. "I'm sorry, Prince, but I have little good news to offer. I don't have any idea where they could have taken her, but that's not what concerns me."

"It isn't?" Asked Sailor Jupiter dejectedly.

"No," Pluto replied. "What concerns me is WHEN they could have taken her. Their portal ran parallel to mine as I was coming here, and I couldn't intercept them."

"So, what are we going to do?" Sailor Venus was slightly less hysterical. "How are we going to get her back?"

"All I can suggest is that I locate her psycho-energy," Pluto sighed. "You're all going to have to wait until I find where and when they took her before you take any action." She looked over to Tuxedo Mask whose composure was slowly crumbling. He was gonna lose it very soon.

He noticed her looking at him from the corner of his eye. The look she gave him was one asking for his permission. All he wanted to do was go home, crawl into bed, and wake up the next morning to find that this was a terrible dream. He wanted nothing more than to see the delicate golden brooch in his clutched hand on its rightful owner's school uniform. He sighed as he turned to leave. "Please, Sailor Pluto. Please get her back for me. Do whatever you have to, and let me know as soon as you can when you find her." Then with a swirl of his cape, he disappeared into the darkness.


	2. Chapter 2

He was getting quite frustrated. Mamoru lay in bed just staring up at the ceiling. Two days had passed since Usagi's disappearance, and he hadn't moved from that spot. He didn't care. As long as he had no idea where she was, he wasn't going to allow himself any luxuries such as eating, sleeping, or bathing. He didn't want to be caught off guard when Sailor Pluto's call came to go to action. 'Damn,' he thought as the phone rang for the umpteenth time. 'When is she gonna get it in her head that I'm not gonna answer?' He winced as his answering machine picked up.

"Mamoru-san?" came Hino Rei's worried voice. "I KNOW you're there. Make an effort and answer this phone! Have you eaten anything? Have you slept at all? What good do you think you're going to be for her if you don't watch after yourself? That's it, Mamoru-baka! I'm sending Mako-chan over to see that you eat something, and I'll make sure Haruka-san goes with her to make sure you get your lazy carcass out of bed!" She slammed the receiver down.

Mamoru rolled his eyes. 'That's the tenth time she's threatened to do that.' Still, the possibility of either Ten'ou Haruka or Kino Makoto coming over to his apartment for ANY reason sent shivers down his spine. He remembered how they had both flipped out when Usagi had been taken.

Usagi...his thoughts drifted back to her. "Usako...My little rabbit. Where are you?" He reached over to his nightstand and grasped Usagi's brooch. "I think I finally understand how you must have felt so many times. Just not knowing is killing me, Usako. How did you manage when you didn't know where I was? You are much stronger than I am, or ever could be."

Then he realized. It was because she had her friends with her. Maybe Rei was right. Maybe what he needed to do was to get out of the self-pity slump. Perhaps he would join the others at the Hikawa Shrine, where they stood vigil. Yes, that was exactly what he was going to do. He swung his legs out of the bed and sat up...just as someone attempted to break his front door down.

"Mamoru-san! Open up!" Makoto hollered as she continued to pound on the poor door. "Open this door, or you shall face the wrath of the senshi of thunder and wind!"

A second pounding was heard: that of someone much stronger. Makoto had Haruka with her. "Open up, Mamoru-san. We have orders to bring you out of there dead or alive."

With a sigh and a roll of the eyes, Mamoru went to the door and opened it. He stood in the doorway and smirked at the two girl's surprised expressions. They were too busy gawking at his disheveled appearance. He was still wearing his tuxedo shirt and pants from two days prior, his eyes had dark circles under them, and his unruly black hair stuck up in several different directions. "Can I help you ladies?"

Makoto closed her mouth and took a breath. "No, I think it's YOU who needs all the help you can get."

"You have definitely seen better days, Mamoru-san," Haruka said with a sigh as she pushed him back into his apartment. "Please, don't let anyone else see you like this." Makoto followed her in, and that's when Mamoru realized they had someone else with them. Mizuno Ami followed Makoto and closed the door behind her with a soundless click, her eyes never leaving the floor.

"Ami-chan?" he asked, a little surprised. "So you're a part of this witch hunt too?"

She raised her eyes to meet his, and attempted a smile to respond to him, but only managed a semi-pleasant blanche. "No, I just tagged along so I could give you some information on this new enemy."

"You've found something out?" he asked with surprise as he quit fighting Haruka. She proceeded to shove him onto his couch.

"Take a load off." She dusted her hands off as she made her way into his room. Being the expert in men's clothing that she was, she helped herself to an assortment of clothing. She laid the clothes down on his bed, and went back out to where Mamoru and Ami sat.

"So, you're saying that those things that we fought," Mamoru took a breath. "Are human?"

"All of the data that I managed to collect points that way, yes," Ami replied.

"But...how?"

Ami shrugged. "Maybe Sailor Pluto has the answer to that."

Mamoru looked at Ami just as she wiped an unseen tear from her puffy red eyes. He handed her a box of Kleenex. "Here."

She sniffled before taking a tissue. "Thank you."

"Are you still that upset about what happened to her too, Ami-chan?" He set the box down on the table between them.

She dabbed at her eyes and attempted another smile, this time a bit more successfully. "Yes and no. We've been talking a lot at the shrine. About things that you really should have been there for, Mamoru-san."

"Like what?" He was almost afraid to ask.

"Like what happens if she doesn't come back," answered Haruka as she put a comforting hand on Ami's shoulder. "Ami-chan didn't particularly care for that kind of discussion, and neither did I. That's when Rei-chan told Mako-chan and I to come here. She needed the diversion too."

Makoto, who had been rattling around in Mamoru's kitchen, entered the room with a scowl on her face. "That kitchen is a disgrace, Mamoru-san!"  
She went to the door muttering, "It's a good thing I came prepared." She grabbed a grocery sack that had been set by the front door, and stormed back into the kitchen. Various clatters and bangs, as well as a luscious scent emanated from that room soon after.

Ami giggled at the display. "She's been suffering from cabin fever the last couple of days." A few seconds later, a small sob racked her body. She grabbed another tissue. "And I've been a basket case."

Mamoru went over to her, kneeled by the chair she was sitting in and took her hand. She looked at him, surprised. "Ami-chan. I know for a fact that Usako would be reacting in the same way. The seven of you girls are the most tight-knit group I have ever seen. You're more like sisters than friends. You're also the closest thing I've ever had to a family. Now that I'm through being a jackass, I won't hold us back from getting that family back together. And we're gonna make the new enemy pay, even if they are hairy, freaky-lookin' humans."

By this time, Ami had stopped crying and had cheered up quite a bit. When Mamoru finished his last sentence, she was giggling uncontrollably. "That's funny to hear you say that, Mamoru-san!"

He gave her a quizzical look. "Why?"

"Have you taken a good look at yourself today?" She handed him a small mirror from her pocket.

He stared at his reflection for a few seconds before he began laughing with her. "I see what you mean." He had no idea that hair was physically capable of maintaining such bizarre angles. He also noticed the baggy circles under his eyes, as well as a five o'clock shadow that looked like it was closer to quarter past nine.

Makoto peeked out of the kitchen and pointed a spatula at Mamoru. "I will not have anyone that looks or smells as bad as you to so much be in the presence of this masterpiece I am constructing in here. I insist you take a shower!"

"You are a bit ripe, Mamoru-san," Haruka quietly noted as she cracked a sarcastic smile. "Go ahead. We'll keep Setsuna busy if she happens to show up while you're indisposed."

"Fine, fine," he replied as he stood up and walked into his room. He saw the clothing that Haruka had laid out for him, and smiled. 'How did she know that's the outfit that Usako loves so much?' Five minutes later, he emerged feeling (not to mention looking and smelling) a whole lot better. Even the circles under his eyes had reduced a bit.

He fastened the last button on the collar of his shirt as he noticed Makoto preparing an impressive spread on his table. One that rivaled any holiday feast. 'I wonder if that means I'll have leftovers in my fridge for the next six months,' he thought with a chuckle. He knew that was her intention in the first place.

He also realized that there were extra people there: three extra to be exact. Rei had brought Kaioh Michiru and Aino Minako with her. "We decided to join you guys," she said matter-of-factly. "It was pointless to stay at the temple when most of us were here."

"Welcome," he said just as Sailor Pluto stepped through another portal. "Well, well...looks like the gang's all here, save one."

Sailor Pluto gave him a tired smile. She had almost as much sleep in the last two days as he had. "And that one has been found."

All commotion, talking, and even breathing stopped. "Say that again please, Pluto?" Rei said after a very long pause.

Pluto sighed and looked to the floor. Her smile broadened. "She's been found."

Every breath was released and there was a quiet commotion raised. Makoto went over to Pluto and took her arm. "Come this way, Setsuna-san!" She dragged the Senshi of Eternity over towards the table that held the feast. "This has just turned into a feast of celebration!"

Everyone else followed them to the table, and soon was digging in to Makoto's delicious food. After she had satisfied her desperate appetite, Sailor Pluto spoke and raised her hand to quiet everyone. "I'm afraid I have some bad news as well."

"Okay," Mamoru said after he had taken a breath and scanned everyone else's expressions. "What's the bad news?"

"This is a long story, so bear with me." Pluto paused to take a drink from her glass. She then raised her staff to open a window into another dimension. "There she is, everyone." As the image sharpened, everyone else leaned across the table and squinted to make it out. What they saw floored them all. A humble-looking girl with shoulder-length red hair, forlorn expression, and slightly stocky build was wearing some sort of uniform and standing behind a counter. The only feature that looked remotely similar to Usagi were her sparkling blue eyes.

"THAT'S Usagi-chan?" Rei asked incredulously.

"How can you tell, Setsuna-san?" Minako tilted her head slightly so as to observe the girl from a different angle.

"Her psycho-energy is exactly the same as the Princess'," Pluto replied simply. "Absolutely no one has a similar psycho-energy. It's more identifiable than a fingerprint."

"But, Setsuna-san," Michiru said as she looked at Pluto with confusion. "How were they able to change her that much so quickly? I mean, the hair could be changed rather easily, but what about the rest of her?"

"I have no answers to that, unfortunately," she replied with a shrug. "Those creatures are unknown to me. All I know is that this is our princess, and we must get her back."

Mamoru had stared at the girl and her movements for several minutes without blinking. His eyes began to mist slightly as he let out a small chuckle. All eyes turned to him questioningly.

"What's so funny, Mamoru-san?" asked Makoto.

"That is most DEFINITELY my Usako," he replied with a smile.

"How can you tell?" Minako asked again as she turned her still-tilted head to Mamoru. "I still can't see it."

"Look," he said as he gestured towards the dimensional window. Everyone looked again to see the girl laughing at something apparently hysterical. A small smile lingered on her lips long after the laughter had subsided. He closed his eyes and sighed, still smiling. "So what's the plan?"

"Simple," Haruka replied. "We go in, grab her, and come back. We'll use the Silver Crystal that Mamoru-san has been keeping safe to bring her back to normal."

Everyone else looked at her like she had grown an extra head.

"You haven't had a lot of sleep lately, have you?" Michiru said with a giggle.

"That sounded like something that SHE would've said," Rei said with a gesture towards Minako, whose head was still tilted.

"HEY! I resent that!" She glared sideways at Rei.

"CUT THAT OUT!" Rei placed both hands on either side of Minako's head and straightened it. "PLEASE! ANYBODY think up a better idea! I can't stand Minako-chan being the head ditz! I want Odango Atama back!"

"We all do, Rei," Mamoru said as he stood. "Sailor Pluto, I will go and get her."

Pluto, who had found amusement in Minako and Rei's display, jerked her head up suddenly and put on a shocked expression. "You can't do that, Prince! We can't risk losing you, too!"

"I don't care about the risk," he replied. "It's about time that I did take a risk for her. God knows how many times she's done the same for me."

"You can't go alone then," Haruka insisted. "We will all go with you."

"I'm afraid that can't happen, Haruka-san," Pluto said as she pushed her chair back to stand. "The space-time continuum has already been severely compromised due to those creatures' careless use of the cosmic time warp. I don't want us to be responsible for the destruction of time, and the world as we know it."

"So, take just a few of us with you, Mamoru-san," pleaded Michiru. "Setsuna-san is right. Your safety is just as important as Usagi-chan's."

"I'll take one of you with me," Mamoru replied with a sidelong glance and a smirk to Sailor Pluto. "I wouldn't want to put too much pressure on poor ol' Sailor Pluto."

"Gee, thanks a lot," Pluto declared under her breath.

"So, who do you want to go?" Minako finally got serious. They all began to go for their henshin sticks.

He smiled again and looked at Ami. She hadn't moved her eyes from the dimensional window and the girl that lived her life, oblivious to the fact others were watching her. "Let's go, Ami-chan."

"Huh?" A word that has hardly ever escaped Mizuno Ami's lips rolled off of them.

"You're the one I choose. Let's get going." Mamoru looked at the other startled girls. "You all need to stay here and guard the home front. There's no telling if those Brutes plan on returning for anyone else."

Everyone signaled that they understood. Sailor Pluto stood and with a wave of her staff, the dimensional window disappeared and a portal took its place. Ami stood and went over to where Mamoru was standing. "Why me?" she whispered.

"Why not?" he replied as he motioned for her to follow Pluto, who had already disappeared through the gateway. In a flash, the three warriors were gone to rescue their princess.


	3. Chapter 3

Thanks to those who have reviewed! It makes my day to see that even my older stuff makes y'all happy! ONWARD!!

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"Hi there! Welcome to Justice Foods, how are you today?" Serena knew she didn't live a particularly exciting life, but the grocery store cashier job was paving the way to bigger and better things. At least...she hoped desperately that it would.

"Hello? Are you okay, Miss..." the elderly lady that Serena was helping waved her hand in front of the cashier's dazed face as she squinted at the name tag she wore. "Serena?"

At the sound of her name, Serena snapped out of her reverie and stared down at the customer. "I'm sorry."

"It looked like you were out in La-La Land. Are you okay?" she asked again.

Serena managed a nervous chuckle and a half-smile as she reddened. "Yeah, I think so." She ran the woman's purchase and collected the money. "Thanks for stopping by, have a good day!" She chirped with a genuinely fake smile.

"You too," the woman replied as she eyed over her receipt carefully. She arched an eyebrow as she met with some kind of discrepancy. Her gaze iced over as it met Serena's. Serena began to get nervous. "Is your manager somewhere where I can talk to him?"

Serena sighed quietly, and defeated. "Yeah, he's right at the service desk...let me get him for you." She locked her register as she went over to the service desk. She tried keeping her shoulders as square as she could. 'There's no need to jump to any conclusions here, girl.' She told herself. 'Maybe she just wants to make a positive comment to him...oh, yeah right. Don't fool yourself, Serena. You know she found something to complain to him about. Probably about me launching into hyperspace back there.' She fought back the urge to cry as she approached the store manager.

Paul Justice was a tall, balding man dressed nicely in a beige dress shirt and blue tie with coral and white streaks running across it, accompanied by blue dress pants. He was truly "Mr. Justice Foods" as he sported the store colors, just as he did every day. He looked away from the customer he was helping as she approached him. "Did you need something, Serena?"

"Yeah, Mr. Justice," she managed to croak out. "A customer wants to talk to you...register five."

"Another one?" He looked over to where the lady whom Serena had helped stood as she waved to him with the receipt still in her hand. He waved back with a smile. "And it's Mrs. Starks? Oh, Serena. See me in my office after I'm done speaking to her."

He hurried off to talk to Mrs. Starks, and left behind a slowly crumbling girl. She reached out a hand to stable herself on the counter, but slipped and ended up in a pile of choked sobs on the floor. This had not been one of her better days.

Meanwhile, in a dark corridor of Time, the scene in the grocery store played in front of three figures. As Mamoru continued to watch, his heart ached more and more. "I don't know how much of this I can bear to watch, Setsuna-san."

"Now you see how difficult my job is," the Senshi of Time replied with a smirk. "Fortunately, neither of you are bound to the rules of Time. I spoke to the King of Crystal Tokyo. He is aware of our mission, and has granted the two of you permission to go and interact with our princess. However, there is one stipulation."

Ami arched an eyebrow. "And what would that be?"

Her garnet eyes turned serious and sent chills down both Ami and Mamoru's spines. "The queen is never EVER to know of this use of the time warp."

Mamoru chuckled. "Don't worry. All she'll ever know is that we were there to save her."

"Per usual," Pluto said under her breath with a smile. She knew how brave the future king was when Usagi was in danger.

"Setsuna-san?" Ami asked as she turned her eyes from the depressing scene unfolding in front of her to Pluto. "When in time is she exactly?"

"That's the most bizarre part of this whole situation," she replied. "But she's in your time. The only thing is that she's in some kind of alternate dimension."

"Alternate dimension?" Mamoru's breathing stopped.

"How can we use the time warp then?" asked Ami.

"It will be easier to monitor her as well as watch for those Brutes from here." Pluto answered simply. "The most puzzling question is why would they waste all that energy and take such incredible risks to use the time warp like this."

"Perhaps their itinerary is a bit more complex than we think," Mamoru mused.

"And perhaps one of us should stay here with you, Setsuna-san," Ami echoed. "That way, I can research Usagi-chan's situation while you watch for any more temporal displacements."

Pluto gave her a very tired smile. "That is an excellent plan. Also, I have several tools that may help you in this mission." She held out a device that resembled a very small hearing aid to Mamoru. "Here. This is a universal translator. I realize that handing out 30th century technology like this is foolish, but the situation calls for it."

"What does it do?" asked Mamoru as he took it from her.

"It is designed to fit into your ear, and it translates any language into something you can understand. Likewise, it broadcasts a language that everyone around you can understand." Pluto explained. "The King created this invention after he grew tired of miscommunications due to inadequate translations. It eliminated the need to create a single language for the entire planet. This is the first series, and it eventually evolved into something that can be surgically implanted."

Mamoru smirked at Pluto's history lesson. He inserted it into his ear after being instructed by Pluto. "Wow, I guess I turn out to be a pretty smart guy, huh?"

Pluto managed a small laugh. "The power source on that can only last a few days, though. Be sure to conserve as much as you can." She handed him a small device the size of a credit card. "This will let you communicate with us here. Ami-chan will be able to give you instruction with this."

"Cool," he replied as he slipped the device into his shirt pocket. "I'm ready to go."

Pluto raised her staff and a door appeared through the mist. "Go then. We will be in constant contact with you. Good luck, my Prince." Mamoru positioned himself over the large door as it slowly creaked open. "Here I come, Usako." Then he stepped through the door and was gone.

Pluto sighed and turned to Ami. "I can't decide if he's really brave, or just really stupid."

Ami smirked as she turned back to the window into Serena's life. The girl had pulled herself off of the floor and had started to trudge into the manager's office. "I think he's a little of both. Plus, he really loves her."

She nervously twirled a tendril of auburn hair around her finger as she sat in Mr. Justice's frigid office. Serena piled the rest of her hair in a messy bun on the top of her head to try to kill some of the built-up nervous energy. It hadn't worked. Her eyes darted around Mr. Justice's office décor. Nothing but promotional posters hung from the walls. She jumped at least a foot as he came into his office.

Mr. Justice went over to the large metal desk and sat down. He looked her in the eye and folded his hands as he sighed agitatedly. "Mrs. Starks had plenty to say about you, Serena. She said that you initially ignored her for a few minutes, and that she had to get your attention. And then she said that you scanned everything in so quickly, that you didn't even notice that you scanned almost everything in twice, and to top it all off, you cheated her about ten dollars. I'm not really concerned with what you think happened, because I saw her receipt, and I went into your drawer and gave her the change she thought she deserved."

"You did what?" Serena asked almost inaudibly.

"This isn't the first time this has happened, Serena." He lowered his eyes as he reached into a drawer for a reprimand form. "Is everything okay at home?"

Her eyes shot up as tears streamed like two rivers down her flushed face. "What kind of a question is that?"

He clicked his tongue. "Oh, right. You live alone."

"Yeah," she said as anger boiled in her voice. "And I don't have any family."

The gaze he gave her as he looked up from filling out the form showed little emotion and less compassion. "Serena, don't take it personally."

She gulped down another wave of angry tears as she looked back down at her hands folded tightly in her lap. She was ready to get up and leave. Anything to get out of that room!

"Here," he said simply as he turned the form around for her to read. "Sign this."

She took a deep breath as she raised her eyes and read the charges. "Offense: Deliberate rudeness and inconsideration to customer. Punishment: One week off without pay. Consequences if behavior continues: Termination."

She gulped at the last word written ominously in front of her. She sighed as she reached for the pen and signed her name hastily.

"The week off without pay begins the next pay period." Mr. Justice peeled off his carbon copy of the form and handed her a pink copy. "Now, can you please return to work and try to focus?"

Her eyes shot up again, and, against her better judgment, she narrowed them. "No sir, I think I want to go home now."

"I can't let you do that, we're too busy."

"So, you have enough time to waste the company's money talking to me in here, telling me that I'm a worthless slime? And now you want me to go back out there and work with money that I'm obviously not qualified to handle?"

"Serena, you need to straighten up, or I'll send you home."

"I thought you couldn't do that."

"Wow...they're really going at it," said a cashier at the service desk. She could see into the window to the door of Mr. Justice's office to see both of their red faces shouting at each other.

"Yeah," replied another. "Who'd have thought she'd have enough nerve?"

Both women were oblivious to several people leaving the lines they were supposed to operate. That is, until a tall man approached them. Both sets of eyes crept up the black-haired blue-eyed man as he neared the desk, and both jaws dropped. They looked at each other and took silent bets on whose line he would grace.

"Excuse me." A rich deep voice danced across their ears, and they both almost melted. "I was wondering if either of you could help me."

"Oh sure!" replied one cashier. "How can I help you?"

Mamoru raised an eyebrow. It always amazed him how weird some girls got around him. It had only been Usagi who saw through his good-looking exterior. He chuckled nervously. "Uh, I was looking for a cashier here. Her name's Us-...Serena."

"Serena?" the other cashier replied. "Oh! You must be the private investigator the company hired to watch her." She leaned over the counter and whispered to him. "She's always getting into serious trouble. They think she's stealing from the company too."

"Serena, GO HOME! And don't come back until your suspension is through!" Boomed a voice from behind a door. Soon after, a red-faced teary-eyed girl clutching a pink piece of paper blasted right past him and ran out the front door.

Both cashiers pointed after her. "That's her," they said.

Mamoru looked after her in shock. 'Dear God,' he thought. 'What have they done to you?' He recovered and began to go after her. He looked over his shoulder and called back to the stunned cashiers. "Thanks!" He rushed out through the door. He looked for her, but saw no trace...until a crumpled up piece of pink paper hit him in the head. "Wow...déjà vu." He kneeled down and grasped the paper ball. He unfolded it and read what was still legible. "Consequence...Termination."

He heard a faint sobbing sound off towards a bus stop. He went over to the bench to investigate. Serena lay in a sobbing, shaking heap on the bench. He sat down next to her and gently put his hand on her shoulder. She snapped up, startled by the touch. "Would this be yours?" He held out the pink paper projectile as he removed his hand from her shoulder.

She sniffed a couple of times and looked at the paper. If looks could start fires..."Yeah, that's mine." She said as she took it from him. She clutched it in her fist and put her head in her arms again.

"Are you okay, Serena?"

She met his sapphire gaze. It would figure that a totally handsome guy would start being nice to her when she looked so terrible. She saw nothing but concern and compassion in those gorgeous eyes...'Woah!' she said to herself. 'You just met this guy...you can't go getting lost in his eyes now.'

"Serena?"

"How do you know my name?" she asked as she pulled herself out of his gaze.

"Um," he pointed to her badge with a smile. "Lucky guess."

"Oh," she blushed on top of the flush she already had on her face. "Right. Yeah, I'll be okay."

"Are you sure?" He placed his hand on her shoulder again. "Come on, you can tell me."

"Can I?" she attempted a smile. "I don't even know your name."

"Well, that's easy enough to solve," he replied. Then he realized that using his given name would really confuse her. 'Think Chiba, think! An American name can't be too hard to come up with...' "My name is Darien."

In an evil corner of Time, a lone soldier ran through the darkness towards his leader. "Yukio! Yukio!" The deformed Brute blasted past the other three soldiers in search of their leader.

Yukio was seated and examining something closely as the soldier ran up to him. "What do you want, Yemon? No one can concentrate with that damned yelling!"

Yemon took a breath and paused long enough to give Yukio a respectful bow. "My apologies, sire, but we've got trouble."

Yukio raised an eyebrow as he gave his soldier his full attention. "What kind of trouble?"

Yemon raised his eyes to meet his leader's. "That accursed Senshi of Time is combing the time warp looking for us."

"What?" Yukio leapt out of his chair and went right up to Yemon. "How could she know that we're hiding in here? I thought you said that we were so out of phase with the time warp that no one would ever find us."

"I had no idea that she had this kind of power," Yemon lowered his eyes to avoid his leader's blazing gaze. "There's more, though."

"More?" Yukio's voice began to echo off the time corridor's walls. "More bad news?"

"I'm afraid so, sire." Yemon began to tremble as the other three Brutes began to congregate around the altercation.

"Well…?" the Brute that had her eye skewered by a rose asked. The rose remained in her eye, and the petals had turned a dismal black due to her acrid, evil blood. She put on a cruel smile. "Don't be a wuss, Yemon. Tell us how you've failed."

"Be quiet, Bara," Yemon snapped. "This is no fault of mine."

"Yeah, leave him alone, Bara," another Brute tossed on a casual cocky smile. "He might just go for your good eye!"

"That's a low blow, Kin," Bara retorted as she shook her fist. "At least I'm strong enough to accept my accident! What happened to your arm?"

Kin's smile vanished and a glare replaced it. The rose that Tuxedo Mask had thrown into his arm had gone completely through. Even two days after the accident, the phantom pains continued to plague him.

"A fitting accident for such a brave soldier," he muttered under his breath. Bara huffed and turned her attention back to Yemon. Kin went over to the third Brute who was holding a cybertronic device in his hands. "How's my new arm doing, Toshihiro?" Toshihiro smirked and gestured for Kin to follow him and the two departed the confrontation between Yemon and Yukio.

"I'm growing impatient, Yemon," Yukio said in a hushed, threatening tone. What is this terrible news you have for me?"

Yemon sighed as he raised his eyes to meet Yukio's. "Prince Endymion knows where that girl is."

"What?" Shrieked Bara.

"He and another entered the time warp earlier today and he has been interacting with her for a few hours now."

"Prince Endymion." Yukio had a look on his face like he had eaten something sour as the name rolled off of his tongue. "He should have perished at least a millennium ago."

"But he and those bothersome Sailor Senshi battled our Great Leader not long ago," Bara said. "Did he not die in that encounter as well?"

"I knew that he still existed," Yukio grumbled. "I had just hoped he would have heeded the Senshi of Time and never thought about entering the time warp. He is more foolish than I remembered." A small smile spread across his features. "But that doesn't matter now…not after what we've done to her. Several aspects of the Princess of the Silver Millennium have been altered. She can't even use this powerful crystal." He held up the item that he had been studying so closely: a small, delicate ring inlaid with a small, heart-shaped stone.

"What are you talking abut, Yukio?" Toshihiro asked from his workbench across the room. "I keep telling you…that isn't the Silver Imperium Crystal. I have seen it in action. That little trinket is nothing but a novelty compared to it."

Yukio grimaced, not wanting to be contradicted. "And we're still gonna look for the Imperium Crystal. But the positive energy that I feel from this ring is still quite powerful. This can be used as a medium. And we can use it to channel our powers of negativity and self-doubt into her. I can't wait to see her weakly dissolve into a puddle of self-pity."

"I still don't see why we would want to waste our energy on her," declared Bara as she turned and walked away from Yukio. "Why not use it on our true target?"

"Because I want both of them to suffer," Yukio replied coldly.

"Well, Darien, this is where I live." Serena turned to her walking partner and gave him a smile as they stopped walking. All traces of a previous emotional breakdown had worn off. 'Telling Darien my problem has really helped. I wish I could've met him when I stared this soul-draining job.'

Mamoru looked over the façade of the apartment building. It was in a run-down section of the city, but within walking distance of the supermarket. The building itself was in serious need of a makeover, for paint was peeling off every surface and there was visible rodent and weather damage. "Nice place."

Serena chuckled as she followed his gaze over the front of the building. "Yeah well, you gotta make do sometimes. This is just temporary, you know."

"It is?"

"Yep." Serena nodded proudly. "As soon as I get the money, I'm going to enter the Star Quest talent search and become world-famous!" Her spirits then sank. "Unfortunately, it's gonna be here in a few days, and I needed the rest of this week's pay to afford the entrance fee." She sighed as she went to unlock the door to her apartment. "Oh well, it's just a stupid dream."

Mamoru's heart sank as soon as the sparkle left Serena's eyes. She always had this strange power of contagious happiness. Whenever Usagi was happy, everyone around her was as well. But when her world crashed, everyone around her wanted to do anything to make her happy again. "I don't think it is," he offered. She turned to him with a questioning expression. "In fact, I think it's always best to go for your dreams. What could it hurt?"

"My shred of self esteem, my dignity, and perhaps my reputation?" Serena replied. "My biggest dream is to be recognized and appreciated. I would like for nothing else than to have someone come up to me on the street and tell me that I'm their role model or something. I'd even settle for a compliment every now and then."

"But what if you never try to achieve that dream?" He went up to her and looked her in the eye. "Our dreams are our most precious possessions. Without them, our actions are worthless, and our futures pointless."

Again, Serena found herself locked into Mamoru's soul-penetrating gaze. She saw nothing but sincerity in his words, but they offered little comfort. "What good are dreams that can't come true?"

Mamoru had to laugh at that. "Who ever said that yours can't come true?"

"Well, if I can't get into the talent search, how will I be able to start on my dream?"

"You will," he replied with a mischievous glint in his eye. "I know you will."

"I will," she echoed as if under some kind of hypnosis. Then she snapped to. "Wait, I will? How?"

Mamoru chuckled again as he turned to leave. "Time will tell." He then stopped and slapped himself in the head. 'I'm starting to sound like Sailor Pluto.'

"Darien?"

He paused for a second before he realized that was his "new name", and then turned to face her again. "Yeah?"

"Will, er…" She was suddenly struck by shyness. 'Hey why not…the guy just said go for your dreams…' "Will I ever see you again?"

The hopeful glint in her beautiful eyes caused a large grin to break across Mamoru's features. "You bet! I'll always be looking out for you, Usa…uh, Serena!" She looked at him strangely, noticing the name mistake. 'Baka! Keep the names straight! You are not gonna screw this up now! Now say something that will make her forget that slip…' "Uh, hey, Serena?"

The bizarre expression went away as she looked at him to respond. "Yeah?"

'A compliment now would be a good idea,' a voice inside his head said.

'Hey, keep quiet in there! I'm doing fine on my own!'

'Yeah right, whatever. See if I ever help you again.'

"You really are a great person, Serena," he said with all the sincerity he could muster. "I believe that you can make any dream you have come true."

"Really? You do?"

"Yeah I do." This was going a bit better than he had expected. "Um, so, what do you have planned for tomorrow?"

"Oh, well," Serena looked to the ground in contemplation. "I have to go back to that Hell's mouth supermarket tomorrow. That's about all I have planned."

"Would you like company?" He was beginning to impress himself with his smoothness.

"Well…" 'This has to be a dream…go for it girl, you'll wake up eventually!' "I wouldn't mind your company at all!"

"Great! I'll meet you there." He turned to leave again.

"Wait! How will you know when to be there?" Too bad he was already too far away to hear her. "Terrific," she said aloud to herself. "I've got a psycho following me around." She unlocked her door and opened it. 'Thank God he's an incredibly handsome psycho!'

"Well, how did it go?" Ami asked Mamoru as soon as he had returned to the time corridor from his encounter with Serena. Her eyes darted up to meet his and she sat on the edge of her chair.

"You should know," he replied with a wry grin. "In here you see all and know all, right?"

"See all, maybe," she replied with a giggle. The giggle quickly turned into a sigh as she turned back to her mini computer that rested in her palm. She leaned back into the chair and got comfy again. "Knowing all is a whole different story. Those Brutes are so far out of phase with the time warp that it's really difficult to tell where they are, where they've been, or any of that. Who knows how much damage they've caused the time stream?"

"I wish I understood why they'd go to so much trouble to do this," Mamoru declared as he found a chair to sit in. "It just seems like this whole thing has been planned from the very beginning."

"Maybe it has," Ami replied with a shrug as she continued to type in figures. "But then again, just because you're not paranoid doesn't mean they're not out to get you."

"You're not helping any."

"Gomen ne." A small smile curled her lips as her computer made a positive beeping sound. "Got it!"

"What did you get?" He craned his neck to see what Ami had done on her computer.

"We now have an early-warning system," she replied with pride.

"I have a fix on Serena, and if any of those Brutes get anywhere within a thousand feet of her, we'll know about it.

"Ingenious, Mercury." A voice came from the shadows. "And from what I've found, we'll be needing that."

"Setsuna-san!" Ami yelped. "Sheesh, you don't have to keep sneaking around like that!"

Mamoru stood and faced Sailor Pluto seriously. "What have you found?"

"Some very nervous Brutes," she replied with a smile. "They're not as clever as they thought they were. I found them and was able to move them further in sync with the time warp."

"How did you do that?" asked Ami as she began to type feverishly on her computer.

Pluto snickered as she waved her long time staff in a slow circle. "Bibbity bobbity boo. You guys can't know every taboo here. I have to have some secrets!"

"YES!" Ami said as she leaped out of her chair. "I have a definite lock on their position. If they go anywhere, we have them!"

"This is too easy…" Mamoru mused. "They have to have a backup plan."

"Even if they do, we can find out more about them," Ami tried to save the positive mood. "Have you found out anything, Setsuna-san?"

"Indeed," she said as her smile faded. "This is going to take some explaining. This will come as a shock to you, Prince, but they're really after you."


	4. Chapter 4

Mamoru paused as he lifted his jaw off the floor. "What?"

"After him?" Ami absent-mindedly dropped her computer, and scrambled to pick it up and examine the condition of her tool. "But why? And even if they are after him, why did they kidnap Usagi-chan?"

"I think these actions against the Prince and Princess are in retaliation to something that may have happened in the past," Pluto replied as she sat in the chair behind her. "The Brutes are the only one who know for sure."

"Do you have any idea," asked Mamoru as he began to pace. "Any idea at all who it is we're dealing with?"

"I think I may have an idea." Pluto's face turned grave. "Either of you wouldn't happen to remember an individual named Prince Cadmus, would you?"

"Now that you mention it," Ami replied after a moment's contemplation. "The name does sound familiar."

"A shadow right out of the past," Mamoru mused. "And I had a close connection to this Prince Cadmus?"

Pluto nodded. "You were the only thing standing between him and the throne of Earth during the Silver Millennium."

"Ah," he said sarcastically. "And this gives him the right to kidnap a non-terran princess...why?"

"Uh, Mamoru-san?" Ami said as she brought a chair over to him. "Maybe you ought to sit and calm yourself down." She didn't want to have to explain to Usagi after they had saved her why Mamoru had a gash in his head that looked like Setsuna's staff.

He sighed as he sat. "I'm sorry, Setsuna-san. I really am. Please, continue."

"It's okay, Prince. I expected this. Anyway, Prince Cadmus was the Earth King's younger brother, as well as head of military for the kingdom. He led an active campaign against the Moon Kingdom when the final war broke out. He was a constant fighting machine with a deep hatred and bitter jealousy for those of the Moon.

"When it was discovered that you, Prince Endymion, had maintained a secret relationship with Princess Serenity, and that it had gone as far as an engagement of marriage, Cadmus was outraged. He demanded to his brother that you be tried for treason during wartime, stripped of your rights and power, and sentenced to die. The kind King could never do such a thing without due process to no one, let alone his own son.

"You were allowed to defend yourself before the royal court, and Cadmus did everything he could to keep you from that hearing. Still, you made it there and successfully defended your love of your kingdom, planet, and Serenity. The king called an immediate halt to the military campaign against the Moon and made arrangements to meet with Queen Serenity in order to discuss plans for a courtship that did not have to mean dark rendezvous.

"Cadmus was livid. He led an unsuccessful coup against the king in order to overthrow him and his Moon sympathizers and take over. The king allowed him to live, but exiled him. Cadmus couldn't believe that his own blood could betray him. In his mind, he was doing the right thing, and a love-struck fool had ruined it. No offense, Prince."

"Uh," Mamoru tried, as he became aware that Pluto had stopped. This was getting interesting. "Oh, no offense taken. Please, go on."

Pluto smiled briefly as she continued with her story. "About this time, Metalia appeared. Cadmus and a small band of followers were seduced by her promise of power and accepted her dark, hateful energy. The result of this was severe deformation. No one ever saw them again, but rumors floated around of hideous beasts attacking small units of royal military on patrol of the outer borders of the kingdom. The six warriors stayed in their mountainous fortress even after the final battle. After the Moon Kingdom had been destroyed, and Metalia had been sealed away, Cadmus had no way to return to his true self. The Earth had been left without a ruler after the King and his court had been destroyed, and after Prince Endymion fell protecting Princess Serenity.

"So Cadmus stayed in his mountains growing more and more bitter. No one was really sure if he and his warriors had been granted eternal life, but not long ago, during the second battle against Queen Beryl and Metalia, there was definite activity in those same mountains. He knows that you still exist, Prince. And he will do anything he can to ensure you never become king."

"Like steal away the one thing I live for," Mamoru mumbled. "He wants Usako because he knows that I'll follow her to the mouth of Hell to protect her." He stood and looked at Pluto as he ran a hand through his midnight black hair. "I guess I'll have to keep a really close eye on her. Please, Sailor Pluto, open another gate." He drew out a red rose and transformed into Tuxedo Mask. "I refuse to lose her again."

"I'm going too," Ami said as she rose. "Usagi-chan is my responsibility too. I'd do absolutely anything to make sure she's safe. And it's my duty as a part of her royal guard to see that the two of you rule Crystal Tokyo." She drew out her henshin stick and recited her incantation: "Mercury Crystal Power…MAKE UP!"

"I'll stay here and continue to monitor the Brutes," Pluto said. "If I can keep on edging them more in sync with the time warp, I'll be able to force them out of it and into your capable hands."

"They'll regret they ever touched her," Tuxedo Mask grumbled.

"We'll stay in touch with you via the communicators, Sailor Pluto," Sailor Mercury said as she inserted another translator into her ear. "If we need a quick escape, you'll be our key."

"Good luck, you two," Sailor Pluto said as she raised her staff. A door appeared before them and they passed through it. "I'll be ready to help if you need me."

As the time warp disappeared behind them and Serena's neighborhood appeared, Sailor Mercury turned to Tuxedo Mask. "We probably will need extra help. Maybe we should call the others."

"There is another solution," he said as he dug around in his pocket. He finally produced a golden heart-shaped brooch. "If we can get her to remember enough to have faith in herself and her heart, she'll be able to use this and defeat those asinine Brutes by herself."

"Does she have that kind of faith in herself?" Mercury asked as she stopped walking.

"I think so," Tuxedo Mask replied as he stopped as well. He paused and returned the brooch to his pocket. "Ami-chan, we're the ones who have to unlock that in her. You're her first soldier, and I'm…well, I'm the one who got her in this in the first place."

Mercury laughed. "You're the one who she loves more than anything else. Even if this was your fault, which it isn't, she still has more faith in the love you two share than anything. That is where her true power lies. So, it's up to you to bring that back to the surface. I'm just here to make sure you keep your cool."

"What would I do without you, Mer-…" he was cut off by a very loud beeping. "What is that?"

Mercury activated her visor and computer. "It's my early-warning device. Serena's being attacked a few blocks from here. Let's go!" They ran down the street and found a frightened Serena in the midst of four large men.

"You scream, and you're dead," one threatened.

Serena whimpered and backed up until she hit the wall at the end of the alley. "What do you want?" she whispered.

"Don't worry about it, we'll just look until we find it!" Another man said as he licked his lips and attempted to pin her to the wall. A red streak flashed past him and sliced through the skin on his hand. He drew it back quickly away from Serena and looked around. He saw a single rose sticking out from the pavement. "Who did that?"

"Pretty girls shouldn't be out on their own this late at night," a male voice from above said. Every eye on the ground turned upward as two shadows materialized on a fence above the wall. "And smart men should know not to attack such fragile flowers."

"So, who the hell are you?" the man asked as he held his still-bleeding hand.

"I am just a figment of your imagination," one shadow said as it disappeared. The four men became frightened and began to back away. "But I'm not," Tuxedo Mask said from behind them. One swift motion from his cane sent them tumbling.

"And neither am I," the other shadow said as she came into the light. "I am Super Sailor Mercury, fighter of Love and Justice! On behalf of my icy planet Mercury, dunk your head in some cold water and repent!" She began to power up her attack as one of the men leveled a gun at her.

"No!" screamed Serena as she threw a trash can at the man. It hit him in the head with a terrific metallic sound, but it only caused him to turn the gun on her.

"NO!" Tuxedo Mask said as he belted another of the attackers in the face with his fist. He and the other two fled the scene. "Sailor Mercury, quick! Freeze him!"

"Mercury…Aqua Rhapsody!" Streams of powerful freezing water sprayed the battleground. Tuxedo Mask hurried to protect Serena, who was whimpering loudly in his arms.

The gunman flinched and then screamed as Sailor Mercury's attack froze the gun to his hand just as he was about to pull the trigger. The gun went off, blowing apart the ice block, as well as a few fingers. He got up and staggered to another wall with his crippled hand clutched to his chest.

Mercury jumped down from the fence and stepped in front of Tuxedo Mask, who still held the trembling girl tightly. The man began to shake out of fear and drew out a switchblade with his unhurt hand.

"You'll never learn will you?" She began to power up another attack. "Shabon Spray!" A thick cold fog surrounded everything as Sailor Mercury and Tuxedo Mask made their escape.

As the fog lifted, the confused thug noticed that several police cars had pulled up. He stood there shaking and muttering with a switchblade in one hand and several fingers missing off the other.

"Looks like we've got a live one here, boys," one of the cops told his buddies. They all laughed at they went to take the knife away and handcuff the man. "We've got a nice padded cell for you, guy."

Not far away, Tuxedo Mask and Sailor Mercury stopped on a rooftop to check on their cargo. Serena still clutched to him like a baby possum. If he hadn't been there…she didn't want to think what would've happened. It seemed strange at first to cling to this stranger, but he just seemed so familiar…and so very warm.

Not that Tuxedo Mask minded at all. He wrapped his arms around her again and began to stroke her mussed red hair. "Shh. It's all over now. You're safe."

"Tuxedo Mask?" Sailor Mercury asked, reminding him that she was still there.

"She's fine, Sailor Mercury," he replied. "Just incredibly shaken."

"Well, peel her off of you, and let's try to calm her down," Mercury said with a smile.

He replied with a pout as he tried to convince her to let go and sit down for some air. "Do I have to?"

"Does he have to?" Serena mumbled into his shirt. There was no place she would have rather been then. She felt…complete.

"Yes," came an irritated reply. They both groaned as they reluctantly separated. Mercury helped her to sit down on the rooftop and attempted to soothe her, though she knew she couldn't do that NEARLY as effectively as Tuxedo Mask did. "Now, miss, are you going to be okay?"

Serena took a couple of ragged breaths as she began to reply. Her breath came out in white puffs as she shivered in the winter night air. Tuxedo Mask removed his cape and draped it around her. She clutched it as if it were the Golden Fleece. "I…I think so. Thank you both for saving me."

"It was our pleasure," Mercury replied. "Now, do you know what they were after you for?"

She shook her head and auburn bangs fell over her eyes. Tuxedo Mask went over to her and pushed the hair out of her eyes. He studied her face closely, and she could feel a deep blush on her cheeks. "Did they hurt you at all before we got there?"

"No," she managed to croak out.

"I'm so glad to hear that," he replied with a relieved smile. "Uh, my name is Tuxedo Mask, and she is Sailor Mercury." He pointed over to the blue-haired soldier who was typing on her computer.

"Tuxedo Mask, I need to show you something," she finally said.

"Don't move, I'll be right back," he said as he stood to follow Mercury. She nodded in response. "What is it, Ami?" he asked.

"Our 'digitally impaired' friend there was a Brute. The others were just in it for a fight, apparently."

"So that's why your early-warning alarm went off, huh?"

"Yeah. Someone should stand guard overnight. She shouldn't be left alone now."

"Agreed."

"Do you want to take the first watch, or shall I?"

Tuxedo Mask looked over to the girl curling up in his cape and smiled warmly. Just watching her sleep could fill his heart.

Sailor Mercury noticed the smile, and smiled herself. "You're in for a long day tomorrow, Mamoru-san."

"My Usako is definitely worth a little lost sleep. You head back to Sailor Pluto and see what she has. Meet me tomorrow, and we'll take it from there, okay?"

"Okay. Good luck." Mercury went over to Serena and checked to make sure she wasn't entirely asleep yet. "You take care of yourself, okay?"

"Okay," she replied with a yawn. Her eyes slowly fluttered shut. Mercury looked back at Tuxedo Mask as he went to gather her up in his arms.

"See ya tomorrow," she said as she jumped off the roof.

He just nodded as he looked down at the warm black and red bundle in his arms. She curled up close to him as she fell further asleep. "Usako," he whispered as he kissed her lightly on the cheek before heading off to take her home.

Sunlight peeked through her slightly parted drapes into her eyes. What time was it? Did she care? Not really. Not like she had anywhere important to go that day. Serena looked at the clock on the nightstand. It said 8:30 am. She groaned as she remembered the events from the previous day as she slowly emerged from her peaceful slumber. She remembered how close she came to getting fired for an arbitrary offense. Then she remembered Darien. Her knight in shining armor who had come to comfort her in her time of need. It seemed strange that he would have found any interest at all in her, let alone care about her dreams. Yet, it also seemed comforting to be with him. Comforting, like Tuxedo Mask's cape that had managed to get tied up around her ankles.

"WOAH! WAIT A MINUTE!' She scrambled through her covers and found a black and red satin cape keeping her feet warm. She also noticed that she had made it into bed in the same clothes that she had changed into when she left the apartment last night. "My God, it wasn't a dream," she muttered as she swung her legs out of the bed.

A sudden thought hit her. 'Why did I leave here last night?' All she remembered was walking home with Darien, changing clothes, then getting an intense headache. The next thing she knew, she was in Tuxedo Mask's arms on a rooftop somewhere. Tuxedo Mask's caring, yet intense blue eyes shining from behind his mask lingered in her memory. Never before had she felt so cared for. He was actually genuinely concerned about her well being, and that made her feel warm from head to toe. A new energy filled her heart as she prepared to face her day. She paused for a minute before rising out of the bed. Tuxedo Mask's eyes played a lot of the same tricks on her as Darien's. In fact, something was tugging at her mind.

'That's because he IS Darien.' Could she be so lucky? Her two saviors, and the only men in the galaxy who had been there for her when she needed they be the same man? She hoped so. In that case, she'd better get that cape ready for him when she saw him later that day.

She straightened her covers and retrieved the crumpled cape. "Good Gracie, I'd be pissed if this was mine. I'd better get it dry cleaned." She rubbed the sleep out of her eyes as she stretched and yawned.

She draped the cape over her left arm as she turned the doorknob of her room with her right. "Add going to the dry cleaner on my list of things to do," she muttered as she went over to the kitchen counter. She scribbled the note on a piece of paper and draped the cape over the counter.

Her spine then went rigor-straight as she backed back up into the living room. Her eyes nearly fell out of their sockets, and she had to rub them to make sure that she wasn't hallucinating. A sleeping man with messy black hair wearing an unbuttoned tuxedo shirt and black dress slacks was stretched out on her sofa. His long legs were dangling off of the armrest, but otherwise, he looked very comfortable. A black top hat and jacket along with a pair of white gloves were tossed on the coffee table next to him. Serena also noticed a white mask lying on top of the hat, and her suspicions were confirmed. She went closer to him and studied him a bit more carefully. His dark bangs fell over his eyes and framed the rest of his face just as Darien's did. She knew then for sure, and smiled warmly. He looked just as innocent as a child when he slept. He had brought her back here last night and stayed in her living room until he had succumbed to sleep. He was protecting her.

'What are you trying to save me from, Darien?' she thought. She sighed to herself as she made her way into the bathroom. After a quick shower and a change of clothes, she came back to the sofa and checked on him. He hadn't moved. There was no way she was going to wake him up. He looked like he hadn't slept in a week. She recovered a blanket from her closet and draped it over him. He stirred a bit, but never woke. She then carefully slipped out the front door and locked it behind her.  
  
Mamoru began to stir again as he heard a popping noise and faint cursing. He could also smell something burning. A faint chatter also caught his attention. His eyes opened slowly and became aware of his surroundings. Serena's apartment. Uh oh. He had not planned on staying this long. What time was it, anyway? He turned and saw the TV was on with the volume turned way down. In the corner of the screen had the time. 12:00 noon.

"Well, good morning, Sunshine!" a voice chirped from above him. He looked up and saw Serena's smiling face looking back at him. Her hair seemed to glow a golden red around her face as it hung loosely around her shoulders.

He had to smile back. "Good afternoon, Dumpling Head!" He yawned and stretched as he folded his arms behind his head.

She turned her head and harrumphed. "What kind of name is that?"

"A really cute one," he replied as he removed himself from the sofa.

"It doesn't even make sense," she put her hands on her hips and attempted to glare at him. She knew she could never be mad at him.

Even in her altered physical state, the posture she took was nostalgic, as well as amusing to Mamoru. He smiled. "Something's burning, Serena."

Her eyes went wide as she remembered the bacon and eggs she had been attempting to make. She hurried over to the stove and flipped the food out of the pan. She whined slightly as she sniffled over her ruined masterpiece. "Oh well, Blackened Cajun Style, my favorite."

She offered Mamoru a plate. "Well, are you hungry, Darien?"

He looked over the meal that she had prepared. Compared to Usagi's legendary culinary disasters, this breakfast looked really, really appealing. Well, either that, or he was really, REALLY hungry. He didn't care enough to ponder on the situation long. "Sure am. It looks great."

"Really?" she asked incredulously. "Okay, sit yourself down and I'll get you some orange juice, okay?" She smiled brightly at him.

He loved to see her this happy. He nodded as he sat down at the small table near the kitchen. It was then that he realized that he had left all of his stuff laying around for all to see. "Uh oh."

"What is it?" Serena asked as she brought over two glasses of juice. She followed his gaze over to the coffee table that had his hat, jacket and mask laying on it. "Oh." She smiled and blushed as she patted his hand. "You don't have to worry about that. Your secret's safe with me."

That really wasn't the problem. Mamoru was more concerned with bombarding her mind with too many memories so soon. Nonetheless, he took comfort in her respect of his secret identity. "Thanks." He smiled as he looked up at her.

Time almost seemed to stand still as they were locked in each other's gazes. Serena shook her head to keep herself from dropping the glasses of juice, and cleared her throat. "Um, here you go," she said as she set one glass down in front of him and pushed a plate in his direction. "Dig in."

They ate in a somewhat comfortable silence. Finally, Mamoru pushed his empty plate to the side as he sat back, closed his eyes and sighed. Somehow, this all seemed perfect.

"So," Serena said as she swallowed a gulp of orange juice. "Did you sleep okay?"

He opened his eyes and smiled at her. "Never slept better in my life." He sat up straight up in his chair, and then leaned over to talk to her seriously. "But one thing was bugging me all night."

"What?" Serena's eyes went wide at the seriousness of his face.

"Why were you out wandering the streets that late at night?"

She sighed in response and folded her hands on the table. "I don't know. Really, I don't. I was wondering that myself."

"What do you mean?" Mamoru sighed. He didn't mean to come across so demanding. He took one of Serena's hands gently. "Please know that I'm just trying to protect you."

A light blush rose on her cheeks as she glanced down at her hand in his. He absent-mindedly, yet hardly noticeably, stroked her hand. She looked back up at Mamoru, and saw a small smile on his face.

She sighed. "Why would you want to do that? Why waste your time on a nobody like me?"

He was taken aback, and he studied her eyes carefully. His grip on her hand tightened slightly. This poor girl had no idea how special she was to him. No matter how she looked. The light from her laughter and pure heart were what made him fall in love with her in the first place. The fact that she was knockout gorgeous before the attack didn't hinder his emotions any either. But Serena had her own mysterious beauty that intrigued him. She was by no definition of the word ugly. She wasn't the same, but she was just a different kind of gorgeous. "I will always protect you, Serena, no matter what. You are way too special to be left alone."

"I am?" She hoped that this wasn't a dream...that would just be too cruel.

"Yes, you are," he replied. "And if anything were to happen to you...I don't know what I'd do. Don't be afraid to tell me anything. Maybe I can help if you tell me what happened."

"Well," she hesitated slightly. Another reassuring squeeze from Mamoru gave her enough will to tell him. "I really don't have any kind of clue. All I remember is coming home with you last night, changing clothes, and then all of a sudden, you're rescuing me."

Mamoru lowered his eyes in contemplation and took her other hand. "Did you feel anything? Were you dizzy? Nauseous? Did you have a really bad headache?"

"You think I'm making this up," she accused as tears sprang to her eyes. She attempted to free herself from his warm hands, but he held fast.

"No, I don't." He closed his eyes and concentrated his power through her. She stopped tugging on their hands and went limp for a second. "Did it feel like that?"

She shook off the initial headache and disorientation. "Kinda, only a lot more violent. It was like someone came up from behind me and attacked me."

"It was an attack, of sorts," he declared. "It's a special power called psychometry. It allows whomever to control the power to heal, or even attack with just a thought or touch. All anybody would need to attack you like that would be some item you cherish to act as a medium into your mind."

"And you have this psychometric power?" she asked carefully. "How?"

"That is a long story, but yeah, I have that power," he replied. "And I think I may know who could've attacked you, which leads me to suspect what those punks were after last night." He clenched his jaw and squeezed her hands a bit tighter.

She saw the change in him. She squeezed back reassuringly. "Darien, what's wrong? Tell me. I want to help you, too."

He relaxed his jaw and looked back up into her eyes that were so full of caring and compassion. He smiled slightly. "This is my fault. They're after you to get to me."

"I...I don't understand," she stuttered as they clutched each other's hands. "Why me?"

"Because they know how important you are to me," he said as he rose out of the chair and gently pulled her out of hers. "But don't worry about that right now. You'll completely understand when the time is right." He wrapped his arms around her rather possessively, yet reassuringly.

"What is it with you and time?" she asked with a smile. She rested her head on his shoulder. This all seemed too familiar, too right. She didn't want the moment to end.

He had to laugh, and it felt go to. "I tell ya what. Let me get changed out of this, and then we can go run your errands, okay?"

"Okay," she replied without moving. "I got most of my stuff done while you were still asleep. I went to the supermarket, and it turned out I didn't have to face the boss. But there are things to be done outside of this apartment."

"Good," he said. "I think we both need to get out to clear our heads."

She smiled again and sighed. "Darien?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks again for saving me. I owe you."

"Hush," he said as he kissed her hair. "You owe me nothing. But, you're welcome all the same."


	5. Chapter 5

_I swear...the page breaks on this thing are a pain. It would figure that I just NOW figure out how to use them, seeing as I have one more chapter after this one, and it's all done! XP Thanks again to those who have reviewed!_

* * *

Sailor Pluto was extremely pleased with herself. She and Sailor Mercury were watching the Brutes through a crystal clear dimensional window that she had just created. "They are now completely in sync with the time warp." She gave a low, almost evil chuckle.

"Amazing," Mercury said with a smile.

"Thank you."

"Well, I was sort of referring to the fact that they're sleeping in shifts and constantly looking over their shoulders." She giggled to herself until she saw the hurt glare Pluto was shooting her. "Oh, and what you've done to them to cause them to be so paranoid was pretty impressive too!"

"Uh huh," Pluto snickered to herself as she turned back to the window.

"I can't wait to tell Mamoru-san about this," Mercury rubbed her hands together in anticipation.

"Speaking of whom," Pluto waved her staff across the window and the scene changed. They both gasped at what they saw. Tuxedo Mask with their slightly altered, golden-red haired princess in his arms. "This guy is good!"

* * *

"So this is where the competition is going to be held tomorrow?" asked Mamoru as he and Serena stood in front of a convention center. There were quite a few people in line to sign up for the Star Quest talent search. 

"Yep," she replied as she suddenly found great interest in the cement beneath her feet. Her eyes darted up for a few seconds as she scanned the line. She sucked in her breath and looked down at the ground again.

Mamoru creased his brow in concern as he placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Are you okay, Serena? What's the matter?"

"I'm fine," she replied quietly. "Can we go, please?" She took his hand and tried to pull him away from the convention center.

"Woah, woah," he replied as he tugged her back and put on a secret smile. "If we don't wait in line, how will you be able to enter the contest?"

She stopped fighting him and froze. She turned slowly to him and looked at him as if he were crazy. "I kinda gave that dream up after I found out that I couldn't afford the entrance fee."

He rolled his eyes skyward as if to contemplate what she had just said. "Yeah, okay. Is that the only reason?"

"Isn't that a good enough reason?" She still wasn't sure if he was being stupid, or teasing her cruelly.

"Nope." He led her to the end of the line.

"Darien, what are you doing?" He only answered her with a goofy smile, and she rolled her eyes. "Can this day get any weirder?"

"Well look who decided to crawl out of her hole today," an obnoxiously cheerful voice said in front of them.

Serena looked to see whom the voice belonged to, and wanted to die right then. "I guess it can."

Three girls turned around to face Mamoru and Serena. One was tall with dark brown eyes and had a head full of black braids that cascaded down to the middle of her back flatteringly. Another was considerably shorter and had icy blue eyes and long blonde hair piled neatly into a bun on the top of her head, secured by a pencil. The third was a little bit taller than the blonde and had friendly green eyes and dark red hair tied into a ponytail set high atop her head. They each wore matching outfits with a great big "J" on the fronts of the tops.

The blonde spoke again. "After you took off yesterday, we didn't think you'd ever show your face in public ever again." She then turned her eyes to Mamoru, who wore a puzzled and annoyed expression. "Well, hello there! Fancy meeting you again! Remember me?" His expression didn't change, and this upset the blonde. Her eyes misted dramatically, as if she willed them to. "That's harsh! Well, we met yesterday at Justice, remember? I was at the front desk when you came in looking for her." She gestured harshly in Serena's direction.

Mamoru fought back the urge to gag. "Oh, right. How silly of me to forget."

Serena looked up at him with a hurt expression on her face. 'Did he just say what I thought he said? He can't be flirting with HER! She's just a two-bit skank!' She found no comfort in her thoughts as he turned to look down at her and gave her a smile. She turned down her eyes and fought back her tears.

Mamoru's smile vanished as he saw her face, which had been so full of light a few minutes ago turn to doom and gloom. "Serena?" He put his arm around her again, and she fought for a second before deciding to cuddle into the embrace. His concerned featured melted as the corners of his mouth turned upwards slightly.

"But anyways," the blonde girl chirped, having obviously holding a conversation with no one. "My name's Natasha, what's yours?"

"Like even, Natasha," the girl with braids said as she folded her arms over her ample chest and turned her attention back to the line. "He's not even listening to you."

"Shut up, Jasmine," Natasha spat as she turned on her friend. "What guy wouldn't drop dead to have this?" She gestured to her curvy physique.

"Obviously not him," the redhead replied as she too turned her attention back to the line. "Jas is right. He's too busy with that." She stuck her thumb over her shoulder back at Serena.

Natasha looked over to the other girl as her eyes brimmed with more fake tears. "Maybe so, but mark my words, Shannon, I will have him!" She, too, turned back to face the right direction.

Mamoru scoffed loud enough to cause the three girls in front of him to turn again. "Not likely. In fact, not ever!" He tightened his grip around Serena. "Now just turn around..." He made a little twirling gesture with his free hand to demonstrate turning around to them. "...and mind your own business."

Natasha's eyes became icy blue slits as she swiveled back around with a huff. "He's not my type anyway."

Serena managed to hold in her laughter but just barely. She looked up at the man who still had a protective hold on her. "What was that for?"

He looked down at her again. "What was what for?"

"That," she said with a sweeping gesture in front of her. "That whole display."

"Ah," he replied with a small chuckle. He leaned down close to her ear and whispered softly. "Just reminding you who got saved last night, and who I'm forcing to fulfill her dream."

His warm breath tickled her ear, and she let out a small giggle as a light blush stained her cheeks. She sighed as the line moved forward and the three in front of them went up to the registration table.

"Hi there, ladies!" chirped a middle aged brunette lady with sparkling eyes set behind wire-rimmed glasses. She had a pen in hand, and a pad of paper with a list of names and events. "What are your names?"

"My name's Natasha, and these two are Jasmine and Shannon."

"All righty," the lady replied as she scribbled the information down. "What category are you three planning on entering?"

"Ensemble dance and song," Natasha replied. "And our group is called Justice!"

Serena snorted as she tried to quell her laughter. "Justice! This is sad. Three cashiers that I work with are going to enter a national talent contest using the store's name!" By now, she was shaking from keeping the laughter in.

"Shh, Serena," Mamoru said as he tried to keep the laughter out of his voice. "We don't need to be starting anything. Besides, it's your turn." Serena's laughter died instantly as her legs turned to jelly. Mamoru dragged her along to the best of his ability and placed her in front of the lady at the table. He removed his arm from her shoulders and attempted to steady her as he moved away slightly. The lack of warmth hit Serena as hard as the icy wind that blew her hair into her face. She recovered quickly, however, and pushed the hair out of her eyes and plastered a look of total confidence on her face.

The lady's hazel eyes sparkled happily from behind the glasses. 'This one's got a charisma about her,' she thought. "How are you today?"

"Oh, um, I'm fine," Serena stammered as she laughed semi-nervously. "How are you?"

The lady chuckled. "I'm doing fine. Now, what's your name?"

"Serena."

"Okay, now what event are you interested in singing up for?"

Serena looked over to Mamoru, who gave her an encouraging smile. She smiled herself before answering. "Solo vocal."

The lady matched Serena's smile as she scanned the list, moving her pen down as she went. Her face clouded over as she looked back up at Serena. "I'm sorry, but that category is completely packed. Is there another event that you are interested in?" Serena's face fell as she bowed her head to look at the categories and events on the list facing her on the table.

Mamoru's heart leapt into his esophagus as he looked at the list too. 'She has to do this,' he thought. 'She has to be able to believe in herself again if she's ever to go back to the way she once was.' His eyes landed on a particular category that would be feasible: if he were willing to risk all. He was. He'd walk barefoot over smoldering coals for his Usako. A little bit of public humiliation was a small price to pay. "How about duet vocal?" Serena's eyes went wide as they met his.

"That category is filing up," the lady replied. "And if you two sign up now, it'll be closed out." She smiled brightly. "Go for it, Serena, sweetie! You two have a unique chemistry. You'll knock 'em dead!"

Mamoru gave her one of his famous smirks as his eyes moved up to meet hers. "I'll bet you say that to all of the wary contestants."

She folded her hands under her chin and smiled coolly. "Only to the ones that I think truly do. So, what do you say, Serena?"

"Are you sure, Darien?" She managed to croak out. This guy was one surprise after another.

"Absolutely," he said softly. "So, are you game?"

"Sure! Sign us up!"

The lady at the table sighed happily and took Mamoru's name...well, Darien's name anyway, as well as two hundred bucks for the both of them. "We'll see you here tomorrow! I can't wait to see your performance!"

"Me neither," Mamoru echoed under his breath as they moved away from the table. "Maybe we should come up with something and practice?"

Serena giggled as she stuffed her near-frozen hands in her jacket pockets. "That's usually the way it works." She sighed as she tried to choose her next words. "Mamo-chan?"

He stopped walking immediately as he looked over at her. 'Did she just say...?'

When she noticed that he had stopped, she halted as well. "Darien? Are you okay?"

He took a deep breath, not wanting to rush her memories. "What did you just say?"

"Um," she considered what she had said. "I said, 'Darien'? What did you think I said?"

"I don't know," he replied. "I guess I'm just hearing things. How about we get some lunch and discuss our act for tomorrow?"

"You're gonna spoil me," she said with a smile. "First the hundred dollar entrance fee, and now lunch?"

"It's all going towards a good cause," he replied with a wink as he offered her his arm.

Her smiled broadened as he took his arm. "And what would that good cause be?" She knew that she saw him blush slightly. The rise in color made him look even more handsome, if that was possible.

"You, Serena, and your bright future."

It was Serena's turn to blush as they began to walk. She then smiled again and began humming a tune that had just entered her head.

"What is that you're humming?"

"Oh, it's just a little tune that's been hopping around my head for the past few days. I must have heard it somewhere, and now I can't get it out of my head."

"Can you sing it a little louder? It sounds like a nice tune."

"Um, I don't know..."

"Serena," Mamoru said as they stopped walking and turned to her. "You do realize that we're both gonna have to sing in front of a BUNCH of people tomorrow, right?"

She hung her head. "Uh huh. I guess now's a little too late to feel uneasy about this, huh?"

He gently grasped her chin and raised it until her eyes met his. He put on a kind smile. "Kinda, yeah. So how does that song go?"

"I don't know many of the words, but okay," she finally agreed. She cleared her throat and took a deep breath and closed her eyes. Her sweet, gentle voice was soon carrying the verses to a song that he knew really well.

"I look up at the moonlit sky and see you floating there.

I close my eyes and whisper your name.

Tears are like ripples in crystal filling my heart with loneliness.

For example, no matter how distant our separation, my love  
  
Our hearts now can shine as one

You are just my love."

It was their song. Usagi and Mamoru's. The melody drove right to the very center of his soul. Tears began to brim his eyes, but he drew them back before they fell. "That, Serena, is the perfect song for us tomorrow."

"Huh?" she asked as she opened her eyes. "That's all I know of it. And plus, it's a really deep and emotion-filled song. It's about lovers who have finally found each other."

"I know," he said simply. "And you sing it absolutely beautifully. We can figure out more lyrics easily."

"I really do love the melody," she admitted with a smile. "Why not? Today has just been one great big spontaneous reaction after another anyways."

They resumed walking for a little longer until they stopped in front of a café. Mamoru noticed a girl with short shiny blue hair sitting in a booth inside enjoying a cup of tea. "Is this place okay, Serena?" She nodded in response and they went inside.

Ami noticed the pair entering the café and watched them closely until she had caught Mamoru's gaze. She waved her hand high. "Hey, Darien, over here!"

"Is she a friend of yours, Darien?" Serena asked.

"Yeah," he replied as he smiled. "She's a real good friend of mine."

A jolt of jealousy went through Serena as if she had just been shocked by static electricity. She was incredibly saddened until they approached the girl's booth and looked into her friendly blue eyes. She saw nothing even close to love, passion, lust, or any of that. Only very concerned, serious, beautiful blue eyes.

"Long time no see," Mamoru smirked. Ami chuckled in response. "This is Serena," he gestured towards the girl on his arm.

"Charmed," Ami replied as she took Serena's outstretched hand and shook it politely. "My name is Amy. I've known Darien here for quite a while. Please, join me, you guys. I just ordered my food myself."

"Serena?" Mamoru asked her for permission.

She smiled and nodded. She knew already that she really liked Amy. They both slid into the booth across from Ami.

"So, Amy, what have you been up to lately?" Mamoru attempted to make small talk.

"Same old, same old," she replied with a cool smile. "Going from school to home and back again. Yourself?"

"Same," he said as he put an arm around Serena. "But you'll never guess what we just did."

"Well, as long as you were both consenting," she said with a little wink.

That comment caused both Mamoru and Serena to blush furiously. Serena buried her head in the menu and found great interest in what foods there were to choose from.

"Amy, you need to get your head out of the gutter," Mamoru scolded quietly. "Actually, we just signed up for a talent search called Star Quest."

Ami's eyes widened as she raised an eyebrow. That wasn't part of the plan. "'We'?"

"Yup," said Serena from behind the menu. "Duet Vocal." She lowered the menu and smiled over at Ami. "Have you ever heard Darien sing, perchance?"

Ami almost broke down in tears. Mamoru was right. This was definitely Usagi. She sniffed the tears back and smiled back. "I have...he's got a decent voice."

"Wow, that's a relief," Serena declared as she folded the menu and set it back down on the table. She gestured for a waiter to come towards the booth. "Seeing as we have to perform tomorrow."

"What are you guys going to sing?" Ami inquired.

"A song I heard in passing," Serena replied, watching the waiter slowly walk across the room. "I think it's called something like..."

"'You Are Just My Love'," Mamoru replied as he looked at Ami with sparkling eyes. That almost pushed Ami to the brink of tears again.

"Are you ready to order, miss?" the waiter asked as he strolled up to the table and whipped out a pad of paper.

"Yup, I'll have the chicken chef's salad, please."

Two sets of eyes bulged out of their respective owner's sockets, and as Mamoru and Ami were trying to stick them back in before someone noticed, the waiter continued taking down Serena's order.

"Would you like something to drink?"

"Diet Coke, please."

"Very good." He turned his attention to Mamoru to take his order.

"And a chocolate milkshake too, if you could," Serena added with a smile. Ami sighed under her breath and Mamoru had to hold back a chuckle. Some things never change.

* * *

"I can't believe Toshihiro was such a moron!" Yukio roared as the four remaining Brutes trudged through a storm in the time warp. "How could he be captured by the police?" 

"Because he underestimated the Sailor Senshi," Yemon replied as he continued to shepherd the rest of the brutes through the storm that was slowly edging them out of the warp. "He'll be out of custody and back here as soon as his disguise spell wears off."

"We can't be sure WE'LL still be here, Yemon!" Bara squealed. "That damned Senshi of Time has us cornered!"

"Face it, Yukio," Kin bellowed as he shook a golden prosthetic fist at his leader. "You have led us into this death trap! For as long as we have been waiting for our revenge, none of us deserve to be cursed to follow you any longer! I am relieved that the Earth didn't have to put up with you as king."

Yukio stopped suddenly and turned on his heel to face Kin. Everyone else shuddered and backed away from their leader's smoldering gaze. "Kin, don't you ever mention that part of history again. This whole quest is to avenge us, but what has happened has happened. And if you ever speak to me in that tone of voice again, I will rip that golden arm off of that pathetic, undeserving body of yours." He turned again and continued walking along the path that Yemon had highlighted with his power.

The others cautiously followed. "So, what do you intend to do now, Yukio-sama?" Yemon asked carefully.

"I intend to prepare to battle," Yukio said in a calm, low voice. "It's only a matter of time before Sailor Pluto manages to completely remove us from the time warp. If need be, I'll face every single damned Senshi alive. Finally, I shall have my revenge on that arrogant, manipulating brat, Endymion." A sinister smile spread across his face. "And just to drive the wedge deeper..." He removed the ring from his pocket and concentrated all of his power through it. "Moon Princess, your soul is mine!"

* * *

"So we have full tummies, a song in our hearts, and it's a beautiful day!" Serena skipped down the sidewalk, slightly ahead of Mamoru and Ami. "Now all we need is a stage presentation! I am so psyched about this!" 

Mamoru and Ami both chuckled. "It seems as the day goes on, she acts more and more like her old self," Ami said softly to Mamoru.

"I get that impression too," he replied with a sigh. He cleared his throat as he called ahead to Serena. "Hey, Dumpling Head!"

Serena almost tripped over her feet as she stopped skipping. She quickly recovered and stomped back towards Mamoru, as he and Ami stopped walking. "Why do you keep calling me that?! Is my head obscenely round?"

"No," he replied as he gently cupped her jaw with his hand. His eyes softened and he softly stroked her cheek. "It just comes out. I think it's just a cute little name. But if you want me to stop calling you that, I will."

Ami turned her eyes away shyly as she found interest in the brick wall of the store they had stopped in front of.

Serena silently wished she could move at all. All she could do was take in the mysterious sensuality of Mamoru's face. It was kinda creepy, but today, whenever she looked into his eyes, it was like a part of her was trying to force its way out of her and make her remember something. She shook her head slightly and Mamoru released her jaw. "Um, no, that's okay. I was just wondering why you'd come up with such a strange nickname."

He just chuckled as he stuffed his hands into his pockets. He was about to reply when he felt a strange power. He looked to Ami, who had her computer out and was just about to say something when Serena screamed.

"AUUGGHH! Not again!" She held her head tightly as she began to teeter slightly. "I'm being attacked again!"

Mamoru lurched forward to steady her and lowered her to the ground safely. She clutched to the material of his shirt as the pain surged through her. He attempted to calm her as he stroked her hair and whispered softly, but the attack was only getting worse. "Enough of this!" He screamed up at no one in particular. "Why must you harm this poor, innocent girl? Why can't you show your face and confront us?"

"What fun would that be?" Ami and Mamoru looked skyward and saw four Brutes floating mere feet above them. Yukio spoke again. "She is too easy a target anyway. You're the one I really want, Endymion."

Mamoru tightened his grip on the still-whimpering Serena as he prepared for the confrontation. "So you're Prince Cadmus, huh?"

Yukio smirked. "So, you do remember your uncle."

Mamoru smirked back. "I don't know. My memory must be worse than I thought. Either that, or you're a lot hairier than you used to be."

"Mock me all you want, boy," Yukio said as he held up the delicate ring. "She'll just have to suffer more."

Mamoru felt the same strange power coming from Yukio, and Serena gripped him tighter before passing out. He cradled her gently against him and ran his hand across her face: unconscious and twisted in pain. He then looked back up at Yukio with his heart full of anger. A sharpened red rose formed between his fingers and he hurled it at him. "You bastard!"

Yukio batted the rose away casually as he and the other Brutes prepared to do battle. Mamoru and Ami formed a protective human shield around their fallen princess. They didn't know if they were going to survive the attack, but they knew they had to protect her.

Then, the odds were evened.

"Dead Scream."

Sailor Pluto's massive attack knocked all four Brutes out of the sky and onto the pavement, and not too gracefully. She stepped out of the portal and swung her staff back to her side. "Here to protect the continuum of space and time, protected by the God of the Underworld, I am Sailor Pluto!" She went over to Mamoru and Ami.

"Nice timing, Sailor Pluto!" Ami exclaimed as she wiped the sweat from her brow.

"It was my pleasure," she replied with a smile as she turned to Mamoru. "How is she?"

"I'm not sure," he replied quietly as he gathered her up in his arms and stood. "We need to get her out of here, though."

"Follow me, then," she said as she strode back to the still-open portal.

"What about the Brutes?" Ami asked as she looked back at the semi-conscious Brutes, each lying in a crater in the pavement. She then followed Mamoru into the portal. "Are we just going to leave them there?"

"They have more important things to be worried about." Sailor Pluto replied as they all emerged into her alcove in the time warp. She instructed Mamoru to set Serena down on a couch nearby.

He set her down, and watched as she curled up into the cushions, a small smile of contentment spreading across her features signaling that the attack had ended. He had to smile at that, but the smile quickly turned into a frown. "I can't believe this," he exclaimed quietly.

"What was it that Cadmus was holding up?" Ami asked as she sat down in a chair across from Mamoru.

"That was his medium," Mamoru replied. "He's using that ring to channel his psychometric powers through her."

"But why that ring?"

"Because that was the ring I gave her before I left on the flight that was supposed to go to America." He sighed before he continued. "That was supposed to be an engagement ring, but I didn't have the nerve to ask her then. I thought that we'd have plenty of time for that later. I guess I'm about as inept at predicting the future as I am in protecting her."

"Stop bashing yourself like that, Prince," Sailor Pluto said sternly. "You know that isn't true anyway. Besides, you must remain strong for her sake."

"I know," he replied barely over a whisper. He bent over and kissed Serena's sleeping face gently. "I just don't think it's going to be enough."

"Don't talk like that, Mamoru-san!" Ami cried as she stood.

"You said that all we had to do was to get her to remember how to believe in herself so she could use the Eternal Henshin Brooch!"

"Please try to clam yourself Ami-chan," Pluto said as she squeezed Ami's tense shoulders reassuringly.

"The Eternal Brooch," Mamoru murmured to himself as he reached into his pocket and produced the golden treasure. He gently tucked it into Serena's limp grip, and soon it was giving off a soft white light.

Pluto smiled softly. "The Silver Imperium Crystal recognizes its mistress. It will begin to restore some of her memories as it heals her. Come on, we should leave her alone so she can get some sleep." The other two nodded in response and got up to leave.

"Mamo-chan..." Serena mumbled as she turned on her side and reached for the spot that he had been previously occupying.

He kneeled again as he took her hand. "Maybe I should stay here with her." The other two nodded with knowing grins as they disappeared in the darkness of the time warp.

* * *

"Usagi..." a soft voice called. 

Serena turned her head in the direction of the voice, recognizing both the voice and the name. "Who...? Who are you?"

"I am you," a woman said as she materialized behind Serena. She spun around to get a better look at her. She was the same height as Serena, but she was much slimmer. She also had hair of spun gold that went from the delicate buns on either side of the top of her head all the way down past her feet. Her simple, yet resplendent gown of form-fitting white silk accented with gold gave her an almost angelic appearance, and her crown of rubies and diamonds clued Serena in that she was talking to royalty. A golden crescent moon insignia glimmered from her forehead as Serena grasped for words.

"You are...me? How is this possible?"

"The Silver Crystal is healing your body, and I am here to heal your mind," the angelic queen replied with a smile. "Most of your memories were taken from you in a most violent way. Take my hand, and let me give them back to you."

Serena reluctantly took the queen's outstretched hand, and almost instantly, she was bombarded by a million memories.

A beautiful Silver Kingdom on the moon a thousand years ago...

A forbidden romance with the exquisitely handsome prince of the Earth...

A fate that was sealed in the Silver Crystal when the Dark Kingdom destroyed everything...

A crumpled-up test paper that set in motion a second chance for her and her long-lost prince...

The Dark Kingdom tearing them apart again...

Her prince, who lay dying in her arms, first calling her "Usako"...

Aliens, who brought them back together...

A nightmare that almost tore them apart again...

A pink-haired whirlwind who was to be their daughter...

An evil curse that a jealous Queen of Evil placed on him...

A fight to win him back...

Losing him again, this time to opportunity...one he couldn't pass up...

Discovering his Star had faded out and belonged to a twisted Golden Senshi...

Meeting lifelong friends...

Losing others...

But through it all, they had remained strongly devoted to one another...

"You will gain other memories, Usagi," the queen said. "And you will eventually return to your true form. But until that happens, you must trust the love you and Mamoru share. And you must also trust the power that is inside you."

"Power?"

"The power of the Silver Crystal reflects the power of your heart. Always follow your heart, and the crystal's power will be strong and true." The queen began to fade away. "Be strong, Usagi. You and Mamoru have the power to stop this evil."

"No, Queen! Don't go!"

"I must. And you must return to your prince."

* * *

Usagi slowly opened her eyes, and focused on a pair of concerned eyes the color of midnight. "Mamo-chan?" she whispered. 

"Usako?" His heartbeat began to accelerate. "Is it really you? Do you remember?"

"I don't remember everything, but I do remember you Mamo-chan!" she cried as she launched herself into his arms. The current crisis was temporarily forgotten as two arms circled her waist and she and Mamoru embraced as if the world would end.

"I have missed you so much, Usako!" Mamoru whispered into her hair.

"I've been here waiting for you Mamo-chan," she said as she rested her head on his chest. "I may look a little different, but I'm the same me."

He lifted her chin to look into her tear-filled eyes. "I know, Usako. Nothing could ever cloud your light. The light that I love so much." His emotional walls were crumbling as tears began to fall from his eyes.

"Oh, Mamo-chan," she gasped as she wiped the tears away gently. "We will beat those icky Brutes. Then everything will be back to normal. But for now," she said as she kissed him. "I am perfectly content to be right here with you now."


	6. Chapter 6

_This is it! I wanted to get this up before I evacuated for Hurricane Frances...God, living in Florida can be a real hassle sometimes! I'll be sure to bring something to you peoples to let you know I made it back okay...ENJOY!_

* * *

"Sailor Pluto?" Mamoru said as he entered the room where Ami and Pluto were sitting talking quietly. "Ami-chan?" Both sets of eyes shot up as they saw Mamoru with his arm around Usagi's waist. "Someone wants to talk to you."

The two women stood as they each tried to find words. Ami was the first one to speak. "H...how are you feeling?"

Usagi smiled broadly as she ran to wrap one of her best friends in a gigantic bear hug. "Ami-chan! I feel terrific!"

"Usagi-chan?" Ami asked in disbelief as she hugged back and fought down the tears. "Oh, it's so good to have you back!"

Usagi pulled away slightly, and then set her sights to Sailor Pluto. "Setsuna-san!"

She dropped her staff as she enveloped the smaller girl in her arms. "Princess! Thank the Gods! Oh, I am so relieved that this ordeal is now over!"

Usagi turned serious. "But Setsuna-san, it isn't over at all."

"Usagi-chan?" asked Ami. "What do you mean?"

"Cadmus could come back for her at any time," Mamoru said as he folded his arms. "Or for any of us. We have to stop him now when he's not at full strength."

"Cadmus?" asked Usagi. She scrunched up her nose and scratched her head. "Sorry, but the cobwebs aren't quite cleaned out yet. Who's Cadmus?"

"He's the leader of those Brutes that kidnapped you, Usako," Mamoru replied. "But a thousand years ago, he was my father's jealous younger brother." He unfolded his arms, went over to her, and grasped her shoulders gently. "It's a long story, and I promise I'll tell you later."

"Okay, okay," Ami said as she held the bridge of her nose between her index finger and thumb. "We didn't do too well against them last time and we had eight people fighting them. How are we going to beat them with just the four of us?"

"What do you mean four?" Usagi asked as she spun around to face Ami. "You three are the fighters, I'm just a cute little princess."

"Usagi-chan? Don't you remember Sailor Moon?"

"Sailor Moon?" Usagi tried to remember anything, but could not. "I remember you, Pluto, Mars, Venus, Jupiter, Uranus, Neptune and Saturn...but no Sailor Moon." She fell to her knees, pouting. "I guess that's what the Angel Queen meant by not having all of my memories back yet."

"Angel Queen?" Pluto asked.

Usagi nodded. "She had to be an angel. She said that she was me, but I can't for the life of me figure out how."

Mamoru kneeled and put his arm around Usagi. "Relax, Odango. We're gonna get all your memories back really soon."

She turned and looked him in the eye. "You think so?"

He smiled as he nodded in response. She threw herself into his embrace, and as he squeezed her back another thought entered his mind. "Hey, are you still up to perform tomorrow, Usa?"

Her eyes grew round, and she raised her head off of his chest to make sure he wasn't joking. "Are you serious? That was Serena's dream, not mine."

"I don't know, Usagi-chan." Ami forgot for the moment about the current crisis. "I seem to remember when we first started high school that you wanted to join a club where you could sing, dance, eat lots of fun snacks and go to America. Looks like your dream HAS come true!"

"That was different, Ami-chan!" Usagi protested. "That was because I wanted to be able to visit Mamo-chan."

"Well, I'm here now," Mamoru whispered. "And I've already paid for the both of us, so what do you say?"

"It may lure the Brutes out of the woodwork as well," Pluto suggested. "We could confront them on our own terms."

"Oh, so we get to be live bait?" Usagi said with a sarcastic cheerfulness. "Goody, extra bonus!"

"The odds are already in their favor, Setsuna-san," Ami said quietly. "They really don't need any opportunities."

"Let ME worry about the odds, Ami-chan," Pluto replied just as quietly as she picked her staff up of the floor and began to walk into the darkness of the time warp. "I'll just have to make sure our other friends are ready to fight."

"Wait a sec, Pluto," Mamoru called to Pluto. She turned around to address him. "Could you open a portal back to where we just were? The two of us have arrangements to make for tomorrow."

She smiled as she nodded. "Certainly, Prince. I can't wait to see the two of you in your singing debut!"

"You're gonna come, Setsuna-san?" Usagi squeaked with a mixture of happiness and anxiety.

"I wouldn't miss it for the world, Princess!" Sailor Pluto raised her staff as yet another ominous-looking door appeared in front of Usagi and Mamoru. She put on a worried expression. "But all the same...be extremely careful." They both nodded solemnly as they passed through the door.

"So, how are we going to get the others there in time?" Ami asked as she followed Pluto closely through the creepy darkness of the time corridor.

"There is much that even I don't understand about the time warp," she replied ambiguously. She then turned to her younger, blue-haired comrade. "It's remarkably resilient. For as much damage those Brutes caused to the fabric of time and space, the time stream has remained constant." Another door was opened in front of them as they continued along their path toward Tokyo and the rest of the Senshi.

"So, it's managed to heal itself to the point that it's as if nothing ever happened?" Ami asked. "And we're going to bring the other Senshi back through here?"

"Yes," Pluto replied. "This whole territory I've protected since the Silver Millennium is no less an enigma to me than it was the first day I came here." She smiled to herself.

"Do you ever regret taking this post?" Not even the hyper-curious Small Lady had asked Pluto the question that everyone wanted to know. But now, Mizuno Ami looked at her with expectant eyes, waiting for the answer to her question.

Pluto didn't know herself, to be perfectly honest. She knew how important it was that she be here in the lonely, desolate time warp. Protecting the delicate balance of time was the best way she could serve and protect her precious prince and princess, and similarly, her King and Neo-Queen. But with the exception of the recent battles with the Deathbusters, the Dead Moon Circus, and Galaxia, poor Pluto rarely saw any action, much less any of her dear friends. But did she truly ever regret taking this eternal assignment? "No, Ami-chan. It's been really rough at times, but this is a really tough job. I like to think that I've become more disciplined because of it."

"I'll say!" Ami said as they exited the portal and walked right in the middle of a bunch of extremely surprised Senshi. "And you've done an awesome job so far! You really are the best one for this job!"

* * *

As Mamoru and Usagi emerged from the portal in the exact spot they had left when the Brutes attacked, they scanned the area warily noticing that, although the craters were still in the asphalt, no Brutes were to be seen.

"Do you think they're still around here somewhere, Mamo-chan?" Usagi asked in a small voice. She cowered behind her protector's towering frame.

His narrowed blue eyes scanned every inch of their surroundings several times before he turned to her, smiling comfortingly. "They have to be. I don't think those are the kind to give up after a thousand years of waiting for revenge." He traced her warm cheek with his index finger as she began to whimper. "They're not here now. I say we forget about them for a while so we can figure out what exactly we're doing for tomorrow."

She nodded meekly as she turned to the storefront. Behind the huge plate glass window were rows and rows of stunning evening wear, but her eyes stopped at the window as her altered, sad reflection stared back at her.

"Usako?" He went up to her and put an arm around her shoulders. "Are you okay?"

"This is all so incredible," she replied as she turned to him with a forced smile on her face. "We get to sing OUR song tomorrow for a bunch of strange people. Some of them don't like me very much, and there are others somewhere out there who want to kill us. Just two days ago I was thinking about how boring my life was. I guess I'm just a little overwhelmed."

"It's understandable," he said as he took her hands. "You went through something traumatic when you got those memories back."

He looked into the store window and saw the rows of dresses. "Do you want to go in? Maybe it'll get your mind off all this."

A genuine smile lit up her face. "Okay! I need a dress for tomorrow anyways!"

* * *

"Sailor Pluto?" Rei asked as she stood from her perch on the Hikawa Shrine's steps. "Ami-chan? What are you two doing back?"

"Is something wrong?" Makoto echoed as she cracked her knuckles.

"Do you need our help?" Minako stood and clasped both hands to her chest.

"Is Odango okay?" Haruka asked in a determined tone. "She isn't hurt is she?"

"Did Mamoru-san manage to get through to her?" asked Michiru.

Ami and Pluto gave sidelong glances to each other as they sighed and sweat dropped. "Well, hello to you guys too," Ami said sarcastically.

"Get past the greetings!" Rei shouted. Both Ami and Pluto jumped several feet back. "Answer our questions!"

"We've been on pins and needles ever since you left!" Minako added just as impatiently.

"Okay, okay," Ami said as her heart rate calmed down from a tympanic tremolo to normal. "One at a time: Why are we back? We're back for you guys. Yes, Minako-chan, we need your help."

"To answer Mako-chan's question," Sailor Pluto said after taking several deep breaths. "Nothing has happened yet, and if we can get back in time, we can help the Prince protect our Princess."

"Usagi-chan is fine," Ami continued, answering Haruka's question. "And finally, yes, Mamoru-san was able to get through to her. She doesn't remember everything, but her memories are coming back rapidly."

"What do you mean she doesn't remember everything?" Minako asked worriedly. "Was the brainwashing really that bad?"

"We don't know," Pluto replied softly. "I suspect it has something to do with the level of trauma she went through when the Brutes altered her. It may just be a defense mechanism. She did mention an Angel Queen returning her memories to her, however."

"Angel Queen?" asked Michiru. "An angel returned her memories?"

"Usagi-chan was attacked by the Brutes," Ami clarified. "And while she was still out of it, the Silver Crystal healed her and gave her back some of her memories."

"I guess that could have been an image that her subconscious and the Silver Crystal conjured up while it was healing her," Pluto reasoned.

"Maybe it was Neo-Queen Serenity projecting herself through the crystal," Makoto offered.

Pluto froze at the suggestion. "If that's the case, then the Queen knows what the King told us not to tell her." She sighed and shook her head. She knew that a secret as great as this would never stay away from the Queen's ears. King Endymion from the future probably just didn't want Pluto to have to suffer the consequences of breaking a taboo. She opened another portal. "I guess it doesn't really matter now. We must help the Prince protect the Princess. Follow me!"

* * *

"How's this one look?" a salesclerk asked as she held up the twentieth dress for Usagi to inspect. She blew several stray tendrils of hair out of her flushed face as the blood slowly drained from her hand, extended high into the air to keep the dress's hem off of the floor.

Usagi chewed the inside of her cheek as she scrutinized every square inch of the dress. It was delicate white satin with a sheer glimmering fabric flowing from the empire waist down to the floor. Several short puffs of lace served as the sleeves, and the low, square neckline was accented with an intricate gold weaving around a shimmering golden lace bow. It looked much like the dress that the Angel Queen wore. Having realized that, she smiled brightly and carefully took it into her hands. "I'd like to try this one on, please."

"At last," the salesclerk muttered under her breath. She began violently shaking her wrist to get the blood to flow back into it as she stepped around Usagi to unlock the fitting room door. "Right in here, ma'am. If you need any help..." she paused before finishing the statement, weighing the consequences. She took a sidelong glance at the nineteen other dresses draped neatly on top of one another on the counter nearby and made a face as she finished her sentence. "Just call."

Usagi smiled in response as the clerk hurried to help another customer, who was conveniently looking at tuxedos on the other side of the store. She then turned to Mamoru who was seated in a plush chair in front of a row of mirrors. "What do you think?" she asked as she raised the hanger up so she could show him the dress.

His eyes, which had held a rather amused look seconds before, widened slightly and he leaned forward in the chair. "It's gorgeous."

"Glad you agree!" she chirped as she closed the changing room door behind her. Various rustling was heard as she tried the dress on.

Mamoru's pulse calmed down as he sat back into the chair. A few moments later, he heard a gasp come from the room followed by slight sobbing. "Usako?" When she didn't answer he got up from the chair and went over to the door and rapped on it softly. "Usako, are you okay?"

She sniffled. "Uh huh."

"Does the dress look all right?"

"Uh huh."

"Could you show me?" The only response he got was another choked sob. "Usako, sweetie, what's the matter? Can I come in?"

"Uh huh," she replied as she turned the doorknob for him.

He slid through the door, closed it behind him, and found Usagi in the fetal position leaning against the wall. He kneeled beside her and put his hand on her shoulder, barely crumpling the lacy sleeve. "Usako?"

"Oh, Mamo-chan," she whispered as she lifted her eyes to meet his. "It's perfect."

He nearly toppled over with what she said, but instead, he just chuckled. "So, stand up and let me see." She allowed him to help her up and she modeled the dress for him. "You look absolutely breathtaking. So, what's the problem?"

"The problem is that this dress is way too nice," she replied as she pouted. "I mean, I know that back on the moon, I wore beautiful dresses like this one, but now I don't know how to handle myself in one."

"Is that the only problem?" he asked as he took her hand. She nodded meekly. "Then don't worry. I think this one is absolutely perfect. It looks terrific on you, and I have something to go with it." He pulled the Eternal Brooch from his pocket and carefully attached it to the bow. He stepped back a little and drank in the beauty that stood in front of him. His eyes shone with unshed tears from her radiance. "Perfect."

She turned to look at herself in the mirror and her eyes went directly to the golden heart with a tiny crescent moon just at its point. "I...I remember this. I told you to hold onto it when I was taken." Her fingers touched the smooth gold and she looked back at Mamoru. "It holds the Silver Crystal."

"Yes," he replied with a serious face. "And it's extremely important that you hold onto it now. Even if you don't remember your power, you must be in possession of the crystal."

"My power," she echoed. "The power of the soldier of the Moon." Her brow furrowed as she tried to make the memories resurface. "Ai to segi no sailor fuku bishoujou senshi...Sailor Moon." Her concentration was broken when Mamoru wrapped his arms around her and held her tight.

"Usako, don't try to force the memories out. You will remember everything in time."

"I just hate having holes in my memory, Mamo-chan," she said as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

He smoothed down her hair as he pulled away. "I understand. So, is this the dress?"

She blinked a few times before she smiled. "Yeah, I really like this one." She let out a whistle as she looked at the price tag.

Mamoru batted her hand away from the dangling tag. "Don't stress over it, I'll take care of this one." He exited the changing room to let her get changed, and soon they paid for the dress and were on their merry way.

"So, are you going to wear your tux tomorrow?" she asked with a happy gleam in her eyes as she tucked the Eternal Brooch into her purse.

He turned to her and smiled back. "I guess so, why do you ask?"

"Well, I have your cape at the dry cleaner," she said as she remembered. "Maybe we should swing by there."

"We can do that," he said with a nod. "Besides," he added with a wink. "It's kinda hard to be intimidating without that thing." He spread his arms and arched as if to pounce on Usagi.

She nudged him in the ribs with her elbow. "I'll say!"

"What was that?" he demanded in mock-anger. "I'll get you for that, Miss Odango!" He made a move to trap her in his strong arms, but she was too quick. She draped the bag with her dress in it over her arm as she took off running down the street. He was close behind her and made a final, successful move to catch her. "Gotchya!" He tightened his grip around her waist as his ragged breath came out in white puffs.

She was breathing heavily as well and she squirmed until she was facing him. "And now you're gonna have to pay for that, Mr. Baka!" The sly grin plus the loving shine in her eyes gave away her plan, and Mamoru slightly loosened his grip on her. Both sets of eyelids fluttered shut as their faces neared each other. As they both enjoyed the sweet kiss, more memories began to seep through Usagi's mind. Memories of several other happy times such as this. Some of them included Mamoru as Tuxedo Mask, but mostly they included both Usagi and Mamoru in their civilian forms. She sighed happily.

They pulled apart, rather reluctantly, took each other's hands and resumed walking down the street. When they neared the dry cleaner, Usagi noticed three girls walking out of the store each with a bag over their shoulders.

"Ugh," Usagi groaned when she recognized the girls. "Let's try to get past without them seeing us." Just then, they all turned around, and she groaned again.

"Well, well, well," Natasha said with a cruel smile as she placed a hand at her hip. "If it isn't the Frog Princess and her Prince Charming."

Shannon rolled her eyes as she approached Usagi and Mamoru a bit more civilly. "Don't listen to her. We had a really bad practice. How are you, Serena?"

"Um," Usagi replied. "I'm doing okay, how about you guys?"

She shrugged as she leaned in to whisper to Usagi. "I don't think Justice is getting anywhere personally. If we don't get our act together before tomorrow, there's really no point in us even showing up."

"I'm sorry to hear that," Usagi replied truthfully.

Shannon snickered. "I'm not. Natasha's been a real dictator. She even had her dad pay for Jasmine and my entrance fee. So, what are you entered for?"

"Well, actually," she replied as she squeezed Mamoru's hand in hers. "WE'RE entered for duet vocal."

"Oh WOW," Shannon replied with a smile as she looked from Usagi to Mamoru. "I can't wait to see that! Well, I need to get going. See ya tomorrow, Serena!"

Usagi waved back as Shannon left with her gossiping friends. She and Mamoru turned and walked into the dry cleaner and retrieved his cape. "Tomorrow is going to be interesting!" she said with a sigh.

"You can say that again, Usagi."

Usagi's eyes turned into large blue saucers as she clutched to Mamoru to keep her from passing out. "Rei-chan?"

The raven-haired beauty smiled warmly and only had a few seconds before Usagi crashed into her in a huge bear hug. She giggled as Usagi sobbed in her arms. "I'm glad to see you too, Usagi! But I'm not the only one who came to see you."

"Huh?" she asked as she looked up into Rei's warm violet eyes. She then looked over her shoulder at the rest of her friends each with big smiles on their faces. "Everyone's here?" She even noticed that Sailor Pluto had morphed back into Meiou Setsuna.

"That's right, Usagi-chan!" Minako said with a smile as she gave Usagi the V for victory sign.

Usagi untangled her arms from around Rei to see if they weren't just illusions. "Everyone?"

"We're here for the battle, cute kitten," Haruka said with a serious look in her stormy eyes. Her seriousness melted away as a loving grin spread across her features. "We couldn't let the enemy spoil your big performance!"

"It's going to be a wonderful show," Michiru said with a warm smile of her own. "I can't wait to hear you two sing!"

"Haurka-san, Michiru-san?" Usagi's flabbergasted expression melted and a bright smile replaced it. "You came to hear ME make music? Isn't THAT a switch!"

"Well, not much of anything will be getting done," Makoto said as she approached Usagi with a stern look and her arms crossed. The tough look was difficult to maintain as Usagi turned her smile on her. She winked and held up an index finger. "Not unless you practice and let us help you to get ready!"

"Oh, Mako-chan!" Usagi flung her arms around a very surprised Makoto and hugged her fiercely. "I'm so glad to see you! All of you!" Then Makoto's words sank in. "Omigod! You're right!" She turned to Mamoru, who had been left to hold two garment bags while Usagi met back up with her friends. "We have to practice, practice, practice!"

"Well, of course we do!" he replied with a big smile. "But isn't it nice to know that you have someone to practice for?"

* * *

Usagi woke up in the bed that she had been sleeping in for the past few days, but the night before had been the first sleepless night she had in it. Last night's practice was downright frightening. Her timing was way off, and it wasn't until the last run-through that she finally remembered all the words and harmony.

Michiru had been patient and told her that it would come as easily as second nature when they were on stage performing. She also promised to play her violin to accompany the vocalists. Something about having another live body other than a CD making music. "It makes it easier to perform knowing that a person is backing up your sweet voices," she had said. "Those CDs that they have to play the music for these events do nothing to compliment a human voice."

Usagi had thought the opposite. In fact, when turned up to the appropriate volume, it would completely drown her out. At one point during practice, she actually broke down into tears. "I can't do this at all! Why did I think that I could?"

Mamoru, who had found the whole rehearsal rather amusing, dropped the sheet music he had been holding and went to get Usagi a glass of water. "Here, Usako. Something to heal your voice." He smiled as she took the glass with a blush. She downed the drink quickly, resulting in hiccups. He took the glass from her hand and wrapped her into his embrace. "And something to heal your soul. WE can do this, Usako. If we can defeat an enemy that destroyed a millennium of peace, then we can do this!"

Usagi had snuggled into the warmth of his arms, hiccups forgotten, and sighed. "This is way harder than I thought, Mamo-chan. I don't know if you would want to embarrass yourself this badly."

"Nonsense!" He chuckled as he squeezed slightly tighter. "Now I know you know these words." He took the sheet music she had clenched in her fist away from her. "Now close your eyes and picture the music." She sighed again and closed her eyes obediently. Michiru's violin swept its hauntingly beautiful voice over them and they quietly -- almost under their breaths -- sang the whole refrain with no problem.

"No matter how distant  
  
our separation, my love,  
  
our hearts now can shine as one.  
  
No matter how many wounds we bear  
  
that cause us to cry, my love,  
  
because if we're together, we are able to smile.  
  
You are just my love."

When they opened their eyes, they saw everyone, including Michiru and Haruka, with tears flowing down their faces. "That was the most beautiful sound I have ever heard in my entire life!" Minako had said as she wiped her eyes with her handkerchief. "You guys are totally set!"

"I hope you're right, Minako-chan," Usagi said quietly to herself as she left her bedroom. Waiting for her in the living room was a pile of bodies, each sleeping soundly on any scrap of floor they could claim.

"Good morning, Usako," Mamoru's softened voice came from the kitchen.

She smiled as she turned to him and carefully stepped around her friends so as not to wake them. "Good morning, Mamo-chan!"

"So are you ready?" He wrapped his arms around her waist and lowered his forehead to hers.

"As ready as I'll ever be," she said uncertainly, but with a smile nonetheless.

* * *

"So everyone managed to get seats right up front?" Usagi giggled happily as Minako did her makeup and Rei tried tying her shoulder-length hair into smaller versions of her traditional buns. Makoto and Ami sat nearby gossiping happily in the small, but ornate dressing room set aside for Usagi.

"Yep," replied Makoto. "We'll be able to see the sweat on your foreheads!"

"She'd better not sweat!" Minako sniffed as she applied the last touch to Usagi's makeup. "You're now flawlessly gorgeous!"

She handed Usagi a hand mirror to view her masterpiece. "Well, almost flawless," Usagi sighed. Minako looked crestfallen, and madly went about trying to find the offensive smudge. "Oh! It's nothing that you've done, Minako-chan!"

"Then what IS it?" Minako shrieked.

"It's just this body, I guess," she replied.

Rei placed the last bobby pin into Usagi's red hair and anchored it down with hair spray. She then placed a hand on her shoulder. "Usagi, you are flawless no matter whose body you have. You sparkle like a thousand stars!"

"Yeah," Makoto replied as she went over to Usagi and helped her out of the chair and into her shoes. "You really don't look all that different. This morning, I noticed that your hair had grown a few inches and that it's starting to turn blonde again!"

"And besides," Ami added as she pinned Usagi's brooch onto her bow. "You just have gotten a little extra baby fat on you. You'll work that off in a week just running to school!" They all stepped back to admire their princess, who had a glow of pride about her all of a sudden.

"Thank you guys!" Usagi said as she gave each of them a hug. "Now, don't say the stage curse, but let me hear the famous phrase!"

"Break a leg!" they all chorused. Just after they got the words out, Usagi tripped over her shoes into a pile of giggles. "We didn't mean it literally, Odango Atama!" Rei snapped playfully as she helped her up.

Just outside the door, Mamoru checked the time. They needed to be on stage in five minutes with music ready, set to sing. Just then, the door opened and Usagi's friends, guardians, and court maidens presented his princess. He straightened his jacket unconsciously as his pulse rose to a thundering thumping. She was an absolute vision. He bowed politely, and eventually found his voice. "You look stunning, Usako."

"And you look handsome, as always, Mamo-chan!" she echoed as she accepted his outstretched arm. "Are you nervous?"

"Not anymore."

"Hey, where's Michiru-san with the music?" Ami asked.

"She was just here," Mamoru replied. "She left to go warm up. We have a few minutes, so we shouldn't worry."

"Well, we're gonna go grab our seats now," Rei said as she patted both Usagi and Mamoru on the shoulder. "You guys have fun!"

"Break another leg!" Makoto said with a wave. Then they were gone.

"Who is this angel that has the Prince by the heartstrings?" Michiru asked as she approached them from behind. "Usagi-chan, you look absolutely radiant!"

"Michiru-san!" Usagi said as she turned to greet the older senshi. She noticed that she was dressed in a simple, yet beautiful aqua gown that reached the floor. The sleeveless bodice had no ornaments, but the intricate embroidery accented every curve. "You look wonderful!"

"Thank you!" She smiled. "Now, let's get going. It's always best to be early when you're about to perform."

* * *

Haurka stifled a yawn as the song and dance group "Justice" plodded clumsily across the stage. Makoto noticed the act of boredom and leaned over to whisper. "At least we know that Usagi-chan and Mamoru-san put SOME effort into practicing."

The older woman smiled slightly and nodded. "Thank God they're next. I don't know how much more of this amateur poo I can take."

Scattered applause followed the embarrassing conclusion to Justice's act, and Usagi squeezed Mamoru's hand as they prepared to take the stage.

The announcer made a face as he passed the fuming, bickering members of the song and dance act. "Uh, Justice, everyone! Let's give them a hand. Yeah...okay now on to our next act! Let's give these two a real Star Quest welcome. Serena and Darien singing a song called, You Are Just My Love."

Michiru was the first one on stage, and she received the biggest applause from the row of senshi. She bowed gracefully, and cued the music to start. As the beat began, she pulled the bow across her violin and began to create the atmosphere. After the count of four, Usagi strode out on stage and clutched her microphone desperately. After first noticing that her voice was clamped, she took a deep breath and dove into the lyrics with both feet.

"I look up at the moonlit sky,  
  
and see you floating there."

Mamoru was right on her heels, and as soon as he was on stage, his mellow baritone voice followed in the next phrase.

"I close my eyes,  
  
and whisper your name."

Usagi turned to him after his line, and smiled brilliantly, just as they had rehearsed.  
  
"Tears are like ripples in crystal,  
  
filling my heart with loneliness."

As they both realized that this was getting easier, they pounced on the harmony, and it drove through to everyone else listening.

"For example, no matter how distant  
  
our separation, my love.  
  
Our hearts now can shine as one…"

Usagi added the next line slightly softer, effectively enhancing the already thick emotion.  
  
"You are just my love."

And it continued as such, with Michiru putting her pure heart into her violin's voice, and Usagi and Mamoru bringing everyone to tears with their angelic voices.  
  
Usagi: "I want to be at your side, to gaze at you. Please grant this wish..."

Mamoru: "I want to fall asleep, holding you in my arms."  
  
Usagi: "In the same night, we share the sorrow. Because I want to believe in love."  
  
Both: "For example, no matter how many wounds we bear that cause us to cry, my love. Because if we're together, we are able to smile."  
  
Mamoru: "You are just my love."

Michiru then had her stirring violin solo as Usagi and Mamoru moved tantalizingly closer together, moving as if in a dream. Then as soon as the key changed, indicating it was time to sing again, their eyes opened, and they were in each other's arms. They brought their microphones to their mouths simultaneously and went into the last, perfect harmony.  
  
"No matter how distant  
  
our separation, my love.  
  
Our hearts now can shine as one.  
  
No matter how many wounds we bear  
  
that cause us to cry, my love.  
  
Because if we're together, we are able to smile.  
  
You are just my love!"

Michiru played a few more bars of drifting ending music, but the thundering applause overshadowed much of it. She didn't mind at all, because she knew the people they were applauding so vivaciously for deserved it. Even if they weren't aware of it. Usagi and Mamoru were too involved in the kiss they were sharing. As they pulled away, they were overcome by even more applause, and the announcer had to take a few minutes to regain his ability to speak.

"That was absolutely wonderful! Give Darien and Serena another round of applause!"

"I'd rather give them the Plague!" a booming voice croaked. Screams replaced the applause as everyone turned to see where the voice was coming from. The senshi each felt the presence of Cadmus and his followers.

"We have to get somewhere and transform!" Haruka cried over the confusion.

"They're all in danger!" Makoto cried back. "There's enough confusion, we can transform here!" She pulled out her henshin stick, and the others followed suit. "Jupiter Crystal Power..."

"Venus Crystal Power..."

"Mercury Crystal Power..."

"Mars Crystal Power..."

"Uranus Crystal Power..."

"Pluto Crystal Power..."

Every senshi's voice chimed in on the last word of each incantation. "MAKE UP!"

Meanwhile, Usagi had latched onto Mamoru. "It's him, isn't it?"

"I think so," he replied through clenched teeth. "Michiru-san, take Usako and get her out of here!"

"No, Mamo-chan! I want to stay with you!"

"You can't," he said softly as he looked at her with tears in his eyes. "It's too dangerous."

"Come on, Usagi-chan," Michiru said gently as she took Usagi by the arm. "We need to find the ladies room." She hurried Usagi backstage, and as she tucked her violin back into its case, she reached into the secret compartment behind her bow and retrieved her henshin stick. "I know that you don't remember, but please believe me. The power is in your heart. We need your light and power now!" She stood up and held the stick high. "Neptune Crystal Power...MAKE UP!"

As she watched Neptune's transformation, something clicked in Usagi. She didn't know how, but she knew that she must return to Mamoru. She clasped the Eternal Brooch into her hand, and rushed back onstage.

"No!" Neptune screamed. "Princess! Come back!"

Usagi heard Neptune's cry, and stopped at the curtain. She looked behind her to see the senshi of the deep sea come up to her. "I have to save everyone!"

"I understand, Princess," Neptune replied as she put a gloved hand on Usagi's heaving shoulder. "But take a look at what's going on out there." She used her other hand to pull the curtain away. Chaos was reigning with three Brutes and six Sailors hurling attacks at each other, and on stage, Tuxedo Mask was holding off Cadmus. "There is so much commotion. If you were to be in danger, none of us would be able to protect you. There's nothing for you to do right now."

"But, Michiru-san!" Usagi turned to her with tearful eyes. "Those are my friends! "I have to do something!" She looked at the brooch in her hand, and closed her eyes. "I don't want everyone to die!"

Neptune grabbed her and ran away from the approaching blast. The attack completely destroyed the whole area they had previously occupied. "And nobody wants you to die!"

Usagi peeked through another fold in the curtains and saw that Tuxedo Mask was fighting a losing battle. "NO! Mamo-chan!" She squirmed right out of Neptune's protective hold and ran out on stage.

"Usagi-chan!"

Tuxedo Mask wasn't fast enough to block a powerful kick from Cadmus, and went flying across the stage. "And now the final blow, Endymion," Cadmus said as he prepared an attack. "It's a damn shame you won't see the judge's score!"

"Deep...SUBMURGE!" Neptune cried out in desperation. Her attack knocked Cadmus off of the stage, and gave her a chance to get in between him and Usagi, who had just rushed to Tuxedo Mask's side.

"Mamo-chan?" Usagi asked as she clutched his body close to hers. Tears ran down her cheeks as a memory went through her mind of him being near death and in a similar position.

"Usako," he grunted in return. He wrapped his arms around her as he gathered the strength to stand again. "You have to get out of here. I beg of you."

"I'll never leave you," she stubbornly replied. "You should know that by now. Just like the moon will never leave its eternal embrace with the Earth." Several words stuck out in her mind after she had finished speaking. Moon...Eternal...

"Usako," Tuxedo Mask croaked, voice breaking with emotion. Just then, Sailor Neptune was hit fiercely and was thrown back to where Tuxedo Mask and Usagi were seated.

"Michiru-san!" Usagi cried. She reached her free hand over to touch her hand.

As soon as Michiru felt Usagi's gentle touch, she opened her eyes and smiled weakly. "Please. Please...remember your light."

"A light that will be extinguished," Cadmus growled deeply. "Along with the lives of her love and her Senshi." He prepared another attack, and just as he released it at the three on the ground, Usagi thrust her hand that held the Eternal Brooch forward.

"That won't happen," she said with a determination that surprised her. A bright light erupted from the brooch, and protected her, Tuxedo Mask, and Sailor Neptune. "It won't happen because I have embraced my light, my power, and my past."

She stood, and helped Tuxedo Mask do the same. She turned to him and smiled. "I just remembered now, Mamo-chan. I think it's a terrible shame that you must be injured badly for me to remember and get my act together." Tuxedo Mask smiled slightly in response as he stepped back to let Usagi transform.

She took a deep breath as she channeled all of her power through the crystal within the brooch. "Moon Eternal...MAKE UP!" Everything else fell silent as a huge burst of light engulfed Usagi and changed her back into a slender girl with long blonde hair done up in "odangos."

"Sailor Moon!" the other Senshi cried. They all left their fighting with the other brutes to go team up with Sailor Moon. Even Sailor Neptune, with Tuxedo Mask's help, joined the group that had surrounded Cadmus.

Cadmus spun around and saw a Sailor Soldier around every turn. There was no escape. He also noticed that his Brutes had gathered around as well, though a far distance away from the Senshi and their combined power. "What is this?"

"This is the end, Cadmus," Eternal Sailor Moon said softly. She held out her hand and the Moon Tier materialized in it. "This is what you've wanted for a thousand years."

"What?"

"We're going to heal you, Cadmus," Sailor Pluto replied.

"You know that we could never kill a relative of our Prince," Sailor Mars added.

"No matter how much he deserved to die," Sailor Uranus echoed as she looked at Neptune out of the corner of her eye.

"A curse has befallen you, Prince Cadmus," Sailor Neptune said shakily. "And it's time that you be released from it."

"Your pure heart was contaminated with negative energy and turned your passion for warfare into a bitter hatred for those of the Silver Millennium," Sailor Mercury reasoned.

"We have the power to return the purity to your heart," Sailor Venus said.

"But you have to be ready to release the negativity and embrace the light again," Sailor Jupiter said.

"I have seen the future of Earth, and it's a glorious one," Tuxedo Mask said, in a desperate attempt to reason with his uncle. "But it only will be if everyone learns to let go of petty differences and hatred."

"So, what's it going to be, Cadmus?" Sailor Moon asked.

"Don't do it, Yukio-sama!" Bara shouted from behind him. "They're trying to trick you!"

"Do you want to have wasted a thousand years worth of planning revenge on surrendering weakly?" Yemon cried. "They must be dealt with!"

"If you agree and forsake us again, Yukio," Kin threatened. "We will never forgive you. You will die with no honor right along with your nephew!"

"These baneful youma," Cadmus said, referring to his Brutes. "Are just pawns of Metalia, aren't they? Do they even have a soul?"

"The question is," Pluto said. "Do you?"

"I'm not sure," Cadmus whispered as he lowered his head.

"There's one way to make sure," Neptune said as she drew out her Submarine Mirror. "This mirror reflects all evil souls! Submarine Reflection!" Bright green lights lit up the three Brutes' chests, illuminating their evil, unreachable souls.

"Mars...Flame Sniper!"

"Space Sword Blaster!"

"Venus...Love and Beauty Shock!"

The three attacks hit the Brutes, and blew them away to rest along with Metalia.

"Your soul didn't light up, Cadmus," Jupiter said with a smile.

"Then," he said as he lifted his head. "That means..."

"That you can be healed," Sailor Moon replied with a smile. She raised the Moon Tier as all of her senshi and Tuxedo Mask closed their eyes and lent her their power. "Silver Moon...Crystal Power...KISS!"

Cadmus howled as the purifying energy swept over him, but soon, he saw that his spirit was rising to the light. And as the light of Sailor Moon's crystal died down, Cadmus was securely in the grip of the same light that held Endymion's parents, and Serenity's mother. He had passed into the next dimension, as he should have a thousand years earlier.

"His spirit is finally where it belongs," Tuxedo Mask sighed. He looked over to Sailor Moon, who had tears in her eyes for his loss. With a smile, he stroked her face and ruffled her bangs. "And you're back to where you belong too."

"Oh, Mamo-chan," Sailor Moon sighed. She then looked over the faces of her Senshi. "It's all over now. I wonder if we could fix this place up and continue with the Star Quest show."

"We all know that you won," Sailor Neptune said with a laugh. "I think that today, we discovered that there is nothing the two of you can't accomplish together."

"Which is the true source of their power," a gentle voice said as the Angel Queen appeared in the center of the circle the Senshi still had formed.

"Neo-Queen Serenity!" Sailor Pluto gasped as she fell to one knee. The others followed suit except for Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Mask.

"Sailor Pluto," Neo-Queen Serenity's image said as she turned to the Senshi of Eternity. "Thank you for setting all of this into motion."

"Majesty?" Pluto looked up with a confused expression on her face.

"Without you and your gentle understanding of the time warp, Sailor Moon would have been lost," she replied. "Though somehow, I doubt Tuxedo Mask would have given up very easily. The taboo of time travel has been broken before, and so has the taboo of knowledge of your existence. Perhaps it is time that the taboos be re-written."

"Thank you, your majesty."

"Good luck to you, Usagi, Mamoru!" The Neo-Queen said as she disappeared.

There was an uneasy silence for several moments as everyone looked to each other to figure out what to do next. Then, Sailor Venus found something on the ground that caught her eye. It was a ring. She bent over to retrieve it. "Hey, what's this?"

"This," Sailor Mercury said as she took it from Venus. She carried it over to Mamoru. "Is Mamoru-san's opportunity. Don't blow it this time." She winked as she placed the ring into Tuxedo Mask's open palm.

He looked at the ring that he had planned to propose to Usagi with, and decided that the present was the best time to do everything. He picked the ring up with his other hand and showed it to Sailor Moon. Her eyes grew wide as she recognized the adornment. "I don't plan on screwing this up this time," he said as he fell to one knee and gently took Sailor Moon's left hand, drawing a gasp from her and the rest of the Senshi. He removed his hat and mask and looked directly into her cerulean eyes that were as wide as saucers and full of happy tears.

"I've always had a hard time expressing my feelings towards you," he began. "And when I first gave this ring to you, I guess I just assumed that you realized the importance of it. But just in case you didn't, let me tell you. It took me approximately four seconds to consider buying this ring for you for this question I'm about to ask you. But it took me almost four years to build up the nerve to actually purchase it. It sat in the OsaP store the entire time, and I'm sure the people who work there were tired of me coming in just to check on it from time to time."

"Nice speech, Mamoru-san," Sailor Uranus said while she cupped her hand over her mouth. "Now ask the damn question!"

"Way to add to the mood, Haruka," Sailor Neptune said as she rested her head on Uranus' shoulder.

This caused everyone to laugh, and it made it easier for Tuxedo Mask to continue. "That said," he said with a laugh as he tugged on Sailor Moon's glove until it slipped off. "Will you marry me, Usako?"

"Mamo-chan," she gasped as the tears fell from her eyes. "Of course I will! Yes! I'll marry you!" She waited until Tuxedo Mask slipped the ring onto the appropriate finger before she fell to her knees and embraced her prince.

"Yay! He didn't screw up!" Sailor Venus cheered. She felt the love sweep over the entire room as the princess and her prince shared their first "engaged" kiss, and watched as the power radiating from that kiss sweep up the walls of the auditorium, repairing it. It continued to run up the walls and up to the ceiling, and soon, they heard thunderous applause.

Everyone turned around to see the audience of the Star Quest show standing to applaud the two lovers. They also could hear the last few bars of the song that Mamoru and Usagi had sung being played. They all looked back to Sailor Moon and Tuxedo Mask, and saw that they were now in the same clothes that they had been in when they were performing. Usagi had maintained the look of the slim, odangoed girl, but miraculously, her dress had shrunk with her.

The senshi looked around, but could not find Sailor Pluto. "Did she send us back in time?" Sailor Jupiter wondered out loud.

The announcer of the show came onstage and had to wait a few moments before he could find the words. "That was absolutely wonderful! Give Darien and Serena another round of applause! That was our last act, so please stick around for the awards ceremony, sponsored by Justice Supermarkets!"

The "Best of Show" cup and the grand prize plaque were Neo-Queen Serenity and King Endymion's favorite trophies that they had displayed in the Crystal Palace trophy room.

* * *

_The lyrics for "You Are Just My Love" are rough translations from the original song done in Japanese. I did not do these translations, and I don't remember who did. I got this from__ sailor music dot net (damnation....no link EVER works!!)._


End file.
